Israel Swears in New Parliament, Most Right-Wing in History

Benjamin Netanyahu and Yair Lapid shake hands before a group photograph with members of the new Israeli parliament after their swearing-in ceremony in Jerusalem November 15, 2022. (Reuters)
Benjamin Netanyahu and Yair Lapid shake hands before a group photograph with members of the new Israeli parliament after their swearing-in ceremony in Jerusalem November 15, 2022. (Reuters)
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Israel Swears in New Parliament, Most Right-Wing in History

Benjamin Netanyahu and Yair Lapid shake hands before a group photograph with members of the new Israeli parliament after their swearing-in ceremony in Jerusalem November 15, 2022. (Reuters)
Benjamin Netanyahu and Yair Lapid shake hands before a group photograph with members of the new Israeli parliament after their swearing-in ceremony in Jerusalem November 15, 2022. (Reuters)

After nearly four years of political deadlock and five elections, Israel on Tuesday swore in the most right-wing parliament in its history.

Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu is working to cobble together a far-right and religious governing coalition in the 120-seat parliament, or Knesset. Jewish left-leaning parties — long the champions of negotiations with the Palestinians — suffered major losses in the Nov. 1 election.

The surging popularity of a right-wing alliance once on the fringes of Israeli society helped propel Netanyahu's political comeback even as he stands trial on corruption charges. Lawmakers burst into applause as Netanyahu took the stage for a photo with other party leaders after the ceremony.

The 25th Knesset was sworn into office with trumpets and choral music just hours after a Palestinian assailant went on a deadly rampage in an Israeli-controlled industrial zone in the occupied West Bank, killing three Israelis and wounding three more before being shot dead. Netanyahu's likely right-wing coalition partners have vowed to act more aggressively against Palestinian attackers and protect Israelis.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog appealed for national unity in his speech after the country's five divisive elections, saying Israelis are “exhausted from the infighting and its fallout.”

“Now, the responsibility lies first and foremost with you, the public’s elected representatives,” he said. “Responsibility to try to wean us off this addiction to never-ending conflicts.”

Herzog also called on the elected representatives to safeguard the rights of Israel's minorities who fear the next government coalition — expected to be overwhelmingly male, religious and right-wing — will roll back the achievements of its predecessor on issues like the environment and funding for the Arab population.

“There are also communities, and especially minorities, who are fearful that their needs will not be on the agenda,” he said. “You, the public’s elected representatives, must give this your consideration and keep them in your sights, too.”

In his speech after the swearing-in, Israel's caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid was blunt.

“We need this house to be a place that Israelis look up to,” he said, “not a place they are ashamed of and ashamed of its representatives.”

The new parliament replaces one of the most colorful and diverse in Israel’s history, which had an all-time high of 36 women and a small Arab Islamist party in the government coalition for the first time in history. This Knesset has just 29 women. Its 23 new lawmakers mostly come from Netanyahu's Likud party and the alliance of far-right parties known as Religious Zionism.

Religious Zionism has proposed a plan to limit the powers of Israel’s judiciary, which the party accuses of unfairly favoring the political left. In an apparent reference to the suggested overhaul, Herzog reminded the parliament of the importance of Israel's checks and balances.

“It is allowed, and sometimes even required, to reopen for debate the division of powers,” he said. “But we must do so through listening, through open dialogue, through respectful discourse — and fairly.”

The number of Arab lawmakers has plummeted to its lowest level in two decades, the Israel Democracy Institute reported, with just 10 Arab parliament members out of 120. Balad, a Palestinian nationalist party, failed to make it into parliament, partly a result of low voter turnout among Israel’s Arab minority.

Meretz, a left-wing party that supports Palestinian statehood, also dropped out of parliament entirely. In his speech, Herzog said the party “will be missed.” The Labor Party, which ruled Israel for its first two decades, barely scraped into parliament with just four seats.



Pakistan Warns it May Expel Thousands of Afghans Hoping for Resettlement in the West

Afghan refugees stand near tents before being deported to Afghanistan, in Chaman, Pakistan, 10 April 2025.  EPA/AKHTAR GULFAM
Afghan refugees stand near tents before being deported to Afghanistan, in Chaman, Pakistan, 10 April 2025. EPA/AKHTAR GULFAM
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Pakistan Warns it May Expel Thousands of Afghans Hoping for Resettlement in the West

Afghan refugees stand near tents before being deported to Afghanistan, in Chaman, Pakistan, 10 April 2025.  EPA/AKHTAR GULFAM
Afghan refugees stand near tents before being deported to Afghanistan, in Chaman, Pakistan, 10 April 2025. EPA/AKHTAR GULFAM

Pakistan said Thursday that thousands of Afghan migrants who have applied for resettlement in third countries could face forced expulsion if they are not relocated by host nations before the end of April.
Deputy Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry did not mention specific host countries, but his announcement follows the suspension of US refugee admissions programs that has left over 25,000 Afghan nationals facing uncertainty. Some of the Afghans also are trying to resettle in other Western countries, including the UK, The Associated Press reported.
Chaudhry said an April 30 deadline for resettlement of applicants has been communicated to potential host countries. He also said that any foreigners in the country illegally would be deported immediately, and that those who have obtained UN refugee status would be allowed to stay at least through June.
Many Afghans fled their country after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, fearing reprisals. Some had worked with the US military, international organizations, aid agencies, media outlets or human rights groups.
Thousands already have been relocated to the United States, with those who worked for the US military given a priority by the US government. Thousands more have been living in Pakistan while seeking relocation to the United States or other Western countries.
Chaudhry said thousands of Afghans have been sent back over the past week as part of expulsions that began in October 2023, when Pakistan launched a crackdown on foreigners living illegally in Pakistan. Since then, more than 850,000 Afghans had been repatriated.
He said an estimated 800,000 additional Afghan migrants are in the country illegally, and that 1.4 million are in Pakistan with UN refugee status.
Spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told a news conference that the expulsions were not targeted specifically at Afghans and that any foreigners in the country illegally were being deported.
He also said Pakistan was engaged with UN agencies for the protection of people in vulnerable situations. “There is hardly any example of a country which has been more generous to refugees than Pakistan,” he said.