Arab party chief, ultra-Orthodox leader refuse to sing ‘Israeli’ national anthem

• United Torah Judaism chairman Yaakov Asher and Ra'am leader Mansour Abbas did not sing 'Hatikvah' during the 26th Knesset's inauguration.
• Abbas's refusal comes amid longstanding objections among Arab lawmakers to lyrics that define the country's national identity in Jewish terms.

The chairman of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party, Yaakov Asher, and Arab lawmaker Mansour Abbas declined to sing ‘Israel's’ national anthem, "Hatikvah," during the inauguration of the 26th Knesset on Tuesday.

The moment took place during the opening ceremony in Jerusalem, attended by President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials, as the newly elected lawmakers formally took their seats in parliament.

Abbas's refusal comes against the backdrop of longstanding objections among Arab lawmakers to the anthem's lyrics, which center on Jewish national identity and the Jewish people's aspiration for a homeland. The anthem's reference to a "Jewish soul" yearning has been a particular point of contention, as it does not reflect the national identity of many Palestinian citizens of ‘Israel’.

Arab lawmakers have previously protested the anthem during Knesset ceremonies. In 2019, members of the Hadash-Ta'al and Ra'am-Balad parliamentary factions walked out of the chamber when "Hatikvah" was performed at the inauguration of the 21st Knesset.

Unlike Abbas, whose non-participation comes against the backdrop of longstanding Arab objections to the anthem's Jewish national character, Asher belongs to the ultra-Orthodox Haredi political movement, which has historically maintained a distinct relationship with secular Zionism. However, he has not publicly explained his decision not to sing.

The inauguration marked the opening of the 26th Knesset following the Oct. 27 election, which left Netanyahu's bloc short of a parliamentary majority and gave opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot the mandate to try to form a government.

The new parliament has 120 members. Its opening session comes as negotiations over the next government continue, with Herzog urging political leaders to compromise and avoid another election.

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