Chaos in the Knesset as multiple MKs ejected for heckling Bennett’s speech

Bennett was drowned out by non-stop heckling and screaming from his opponents in the Likud, Shas, Religious Zionism, and United Torah Judaism parties.

By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News

Sunday’s special Knesset session to confirm the new so-called change government sounded more like a professional wrestling match than a political event, as multiple MKs were ejected from the plenum for heckling prime minister-designate Naftali Bennett during his speech to the Knesset.

As his change bloc coalition partners sat silently, Bennett was drowned out by non-stop heckling and screaming from his opponents in the Likud, Shas, Religious Zionism, and United Torah Judaism parties.

Knesset Speaker Yariv Levin (Likud) who is set to be replaced by Yesh Atid MK Mickey Levy later today, gave hecklers two verbal warnings before asking Knesset security to remove the offending politicians from the plenum.

Religious Zionism chair Betzalel Smotrich, along with Itamar Ben Gvir who heads the party’s Otzma Yehudit faction, and their colleagues Simcha Rothman and Orit Strock, were ejected within the first few minutes of Bennett’s speech.

Most of the politicians were compliant with Knesset security, but MK May Golan (Likud) appeared to struggle with the female officer sent to escort her out.

The female guard had to call for backup from a male officer to physically guide Golan outside.

MK Katrin “Keti” Shitrit-Peretz (Likud) and veteran haredi politicians Moshe Abutbul (Shas) and United Torah Judaism’s Yitzhak Pindros were also escorted out of the plenum.

Firebrand right-wing radio commentator and staunch Netanyahu loyalist MK Galit Distal Atbaryan (Likud) voluntarily left the plenum after two verbal warnings.

After Bennett left the podium, Yair Lapid used his speech time to chastise the hecklers.

“I’m going to forgo the speech I had planned, and instead use this [time] to apologize to my mother,” he said.

Lapid said that he had regretted inviting his 86-year-old mother to the event, and he hadn’t expected the “immature behavior” of his opponents.

After Lapid spoke and Netanyahu prepared to give a speech, several of the ejected MKs re-entered the plenum.

They were ejected once again by Speaker Levin.

“Whoever thinks they can heckle, then come back in here like nothing happened, is mistaken,” he said.

2021 Israel electionsNaftali BennettYariv LevinYemina