Netanyahu’s political future hangs in balance as new Knesset convenes tomorrow

• ‘Israel’s’ 26th Knesset is scheduled to convene on Nov. 10, with all 120 lawmakers set to be sworn in.
• Likud emerged as the largest party with 27 seats, but Netanyahu’s bloc fell short of the 61-seat majority needed to form a government.
• ‘Israeli’ President Isaac Herzog has tasked opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot with forming the next government after 67 lawmakers recommended him.

‘Israel’s’ 26th Knesset is set to convene for its inaugural session on Tuesday, Nov. 10, amid an intense political struggle over the formation of the next government and the future of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership.

The opening ceremony will begin at 4 p.m. local time in the presence of ‘Israeli’ President Isaac Herzog, who will attend as the 120 newly elected lawmakers take their oaths of allegiance. The session will formally mark the beginning of the 26th parliament following the Oct. 27 general election.

According to the Knesset’s website, the inaugural sitting will bring together newly elected lawmakers, returning members and those re-entering parliament. The ceremony will also include the election of the Knesset speaker, who oversees parliamentary proceedings and represents the legislature in official engagements.

Election results leave Netanyahu without a majority

The opening of the new parliament follows an election that significantly reshaped ‘Israel's’ political landscape, leaving Netanyahu's Likud as the largest party but weakening the prime minister's parliamentary position.

Final results published by the Central Elections Committee gave Likud 27 seats, followed by Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party with 21 and Naftali Bennett's Be'Yachad with 12.

The remaining seats were distributed among the Joint List (11), the Democrats (8), the United Arab List (Ra'am) (8), Yisrael Beitenu (7), United Torah Judaism (7), Otzma Yehudit (7), Shas (6) and Religious Zionism (6).

Netanyahu's wider political bloc secured 53 seats in the 120-member parliament, falling short of the 61 required for a governing majority. Opposition parties secured 48 seats, while Arab political factions won a combined 19 seats.

The results have complicated Netanyahu's efforts to remain in power, while creating an opportunity for his political opponents to challenge his leadership.

Eisenkot receives mandate to form government

On Nov. 8, Herzog formally tasked former military chief and Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot with forming the next government.

The decision followed consultations with political factions, during which representatives of parties holding 67 parliamentary seats recommended Eisenkot for the mandate. Representatives of factions holding 46 seats recommended Netanyahu, while a seven-member faction refrained from endorsing either candidate.

Herzog said Eisenkot had received the clear support of a parliamentary majority on the question of who had the better chance of forming a government.

Reuters reported that Eisenkot pledged to pursue a broad national emergency government, citing security and political challenges facing ‘Israel’, including Iran, Gaza and regional negotiations.

However, his path to forming a coalition remains complicated by disagreements among opposition parties over potential partners. Options include an arrangement supported by Arab parties, cooperation with ultra-Orthodox factions or a broader unity government.

Eisenkot has 28 days to form a government, with a possible 14-day extension.

Opposition seeks to replace Knesset speaker

The opening session is also expected to become an early test of the opposition's parliamentary strength, with several parties seeking to remove incumbent Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, a member of Netanyahu's Likud party.

Yashar, Yisrael Beitenu, Be'Yachad and the Democrats have formally requested a vote on replacing Ohana during the new parliament's first sitting. The Joint List has also indicated that it intends to submit a similar request.

Ohana has said that the customary time to elect a new speaker is when a government is formed, but indicated that he would allow an earlier vote if at least 61 lawmakers formally request one.

Opposition parties have discussed former prime minister Yair Lapid as a possible successor, although disagreements remain over who should occupy the position.

The speaker plays a significant role in determining parliamentary procedures, setting the legislative agenda and overseeing debates and votes. Replacing Ohana would therefore give Netanyahu's opponents an opportunity to exercise their parliamentary majority even before a new government is established.

Security preparations: Knesset's canine unit conducts explosive-detection sweeps

Footage circulating ahead of the parliamentary opening shows specially trained dogs jumping across lawmakers' desks, inspecting seating rows and checking beneath furniture inside the Knesset chamber.

The footage captures a routine security procedure carried out by the Knesset Guard's canine unit, which is responsible for detecting explosives and concealed weapons within the parliament's secured grounds.

According to the Knesset's official description of the unit, the K-9 handlers division was established in 2001 and conducts daily sweeps and inspections to identify explosives and weapons that could be hidden inside the parliamentary compound.

The unit employs two handlers who work alongside several specially trained dogs. Its duties form part of the Knesset Guard's broader security arrangements, which also include entrance screening, perimeter patrols and security operations during official events.

The sweeps are intended to identify potential threats before lawmakers, officials and guests enter the chamber for parliamentary proceedings and major state occasions. The footage, therefore, shows a standard preventive security measure rather than evidence of a specific threat or security incident.

The Knesset Guard is responsible for maintaining security and public order within the parliamentary compound while protecting lawmakers, employees and visitors.