Israel Swears In 26th Knesset Amid Coalition Deadlock
Israel's 26th Knesset will be sworn in Tuesday as Gadi Eisenkot and Benjamin Netanyahu compete to form a majority government.
The 120 members of Israel's 26th Knesset will be sworn into office on Tuesday, November 11, 2026, in Jerusalem. The ceremony begins at 3:20 p.m. with an honor parade and wreath-laying, followed by a plenary session where lawmakers will officially pledge their office. The new parliament includes 46 first-time members, 33 women, and 24-year-old Yonatan Shalev, the youngest parliamentarian in Israeli history.
Political instability persists following the October 27 general election, as neither Benjamin Netanyahu's 53-seat bloc nor the opposing 48-seat bloc holds a majority. President Isaac Herzog mandated Gadi Eisenkot of the Yashar party to form a government. Eisenkot has reached an agreement with leaders from Yisrael Beytenu and B'Yachad to appoint Matan Kahana as Knesset speaker and distribute key committee chairs.
Netanyahu has countered by calling for a unity government under his own leadership, rejecting any coalition supported by Arab parties. Meanwhile, Avigdor Lieberman is exploring alliances with ultra-Orthodox parties, and United Torah Judaism is negotiating for guarantees regarding military conscription for yeshiva students. Security officials have warned that right-wing activists may attempt to disrupt the swearing-in ceremony to prevent the replacement of current speaker Amir Ohana, a close ally of Netanyahu.
