Netanyahu draws calls of 'hate speech' in the newly elected Israeli parliament

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Netanyahu draws calls of 'hate speech' in the newly elected Israeli parliament Submitted by Nadav Rapaport on Wed, 11/11/2026 - 13:34 Prime minister angers opposition leaders…

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was accused of giving a "hate-filled speech" against the Palestinian-led parties in the newly elected parliament on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, two weeks after Netanyahu's far-right bloc lost the elections following an historic voter turnout from Palestinian citizens of Israel, the parliament was sworn in in Jerusalem, with an unprecedented 19 members from the Palestinian-led Joint List alliance and Ra'am party.

Marking the ceremonial day, Netanyahu initially told the new Knesset members that Israel was facing "great threats" from Iran's nuclear programme, stating that "the only way to remove this existential threat permanently is by toppling the regime of the ayatollahs".

However, after boasting about Israeli military achievements in the occupied Palestinian territories, Syria, Lebanon and Iran, Netanyahu began lashing out at the Palestinian-led parties.

The Israeli premier said that Israel must "set aside every other consideration and form a national unity government" with his main challenger Gadi Eisenkot.

"Only such a government will be able to meet challenges of this magnitude," he said, accusing Eisenkot's broad bloc of otherwise wanting to form "a government that includes within it terror supporters, haters of Israel".

Netanyahu clarified he was not referring to Palestinian citizens of Israel as a whole - some of whom, he said, voted for his Likud party.

"I am talking about people whose ideology is hatred of Israel and the destruction of the Jewish state. People who say Hamas is just a charitable organisation," he said, referring to Ra'am and the Joint List.

"To those who are thinking of establishing a government with these people, I say: Are you prepared to be dependent on those whose purpose is the destruction of the Jewish state?"

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