Over a third of the 120 Knesset Members are first-timers. Two temporary committees - Finance, and Foreign Affairs and Defense - were set up yesterday. MK Yuval Shteinitz (Likud) will continue as chairman of the latter committee until a new one is chosen.
Temporary Knesset Speaker Shimon Peres, serving as such by virtue of his being the oldest of the Knesset Members, and President Moshe Katzav addressed the legislature at Monday's opening session. In a long speech, Peres presented his view of many of the problems facing Israel today.
Speaking while forensic experts were still at work trying to identify the nine victims of the murderous Hamas-condoned attack in Tel Aviv, Peres said that the "Palestinian nation" [sic], which just three months ago voted overwhelmingly to entrust the Hamas terrorist organization with its government, is "not an enemy. It is a long-suffering people, most of which understands that they must live with us in peace."
Despite findings to the contrary, Peres said that terrorism is the enemy "of both peoples; not only our enemy, but also of the Palestinians."
Just last month, a poll conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research found that of 1,270 PA adults interviewed, 52.4% said they support "armed attacks against Israeli civilians inside Israel." Close to a third of those who support the attacks said they "strongly support" them. Only 45.2% said they opposed. In addition, two-thirds of those polled said they believe "that armed confrontations so far has helped achieved Palestinian national and political rights in ways that negotiations could not achieve."
President Katzav also related to several issues at the forefront of Israeli discourse. Like Peres, Katzav sidestepped the overwhelming majority by which Hamas had just been elected to power when he said, "We want to believe that the political approach of the Hamas government is not the way of the Palestinians. I believe that most of the Palestinians support peace with Israel and accept the three conditions of the Quartet..."
In response, MK Shteinitz told Arutz-7,
President Katzav told the new Knesset that the new MKs must "grant honor to the nation's sacred values and symbols, show sensitivity to the weak and concern for the environment, provide a positive personal example [and] defend the values of democracy..." He called upon them to note the low voting rate in the last election and the "large support shown for the Pensioners Party."
The President noted the parliamentary crises that have plagued Israel over the past several years, the government's difficulties in running the country, and "concern for strength of democracy." He said he therefore hopes to soon present the findings of the public commission he established three years ago for "alternatives to the governmental structure in Israel."
Mr. Katzav appeared to leave an opening for a referendum on the issue of a withdrawal from Judea and Samaria: "We stand before some of the most fateful decisions in the history of the state. We must decide how existential issues such as our final borders are to be determined."
"Israel's independence, peace, security and the beginning of the blossoming of our redemption are dependent upon unity amongst us. We must stand as one in the face of the difficult challenges in the struggle for peace and security, and in the struggle to determine our final borders. The eastern border does have existential significance. We must determine, with national consensus, the map of our vital national security interests."
He ruled out all forms of civil disobedience by saying, "The citizens have a right to object to the decisions of the Knesset and government, but they must wage the struggle only in legal and legitimate ways. Division, violence and law-breaking are totally unacceptable...."
Katzav praised the security forces for carrying out the instructions of the government and Knesset, and for preserving Israel's security.
"I call for the solving, without delay, of the problems that the expelled residents of Gush Katif and northern Shomron are still suffering from," Katzav said. "I have great admiration for the residents of Judea and Samaria, who settled these areas according to Israeli governmental decisions, and who endanger their lives for their beliefs and ideals. They have a great share in the achievements of the State of Israel."
Katzav then turned to the residents of the Palestinian Authority and said:
"In the past years, we have taken historic steps towards you. You had unparalleled achievements during this period, and there would have been more had you not chosen terrorism...
"The State of Israel made three historic concessions - the Oslo Accords, the Road Map, and the Disengagement - but as of now, we have not received anything in return...
"In these years, more Israelis were killed by Palestinian terrorism than in the first 50 years of Israel's existence. The State of Israel is a historic fact, and has announced its willingness to support the establishment of a Palestinian state - but the new Palestinian leadership that was elected refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist. It supports terrorism, and refuses to accept the international commitments promised by PA leaders..."
Temporary Knesset Speaker Shimon Peres, serving as such by virtue of his being the oldest of the Knesset Members, and President Moshe Katzav addressed the legislature at Monday's opening session. In a long speech, Peres presented his view of many of the problems facing Israel today.
Speaking while forensic experts were still at work trying to identify the nine victims of the murderous Hamas-condoned attack in Tel Aviv, Peres said that the "Palestinian nation" [sic], which just three months ago voted overwhelmingly to entrust the Hamas terrorist organization with its government, is "not an enemy. It is a long-suffering people, most of which understands that they must live with us in peace."
Despite findings to the contrary, Peres said that terrorism is the enemy "of both peoples; not only our enemy, but also of the Palestinians."
Just last month, a poll conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research found that of 1,270 PA adults interviewed, 52.4% said they support "armed attacks against Israeli civilians inside Israel." Close to a third of those who support the attacks said they "strongly support" them. Only 45.2% said they opposed. In addition, two-thirds of those polled said they believe "that armed confrontations so far has helped achieved Palestinian national and political rights in ways that negotiations could not achieve."
President Katzav also related to several issues at the forefront of Israeli discourse. Like Peres, Katzav sidestepped the overwhelming majority by which Hamas had just been elected to power when he said, "We want to believe that the political approach of the Hamas government is not the way of the Palestinians. I believe that most of the Palestinians support peace with Israel and accept the three conditions of the Quartet..."
In response, MK Shteinitz told Arutz-7,
"The fact that our leaders do not recognize our enemies as such is dangerous. Their statements are a continuation of the game of false illusions. The Palestinian people - and I'm not referring to individuals, of whom many sincerely want peace - are our enemy, as we have seen in their terrorism of the past years and all the more so in their election of Hamas, which does not recognize our existence and wants to destroy us. They have chosen the path of war."
President Katzav told the new Knesset that the new MKs must "grant honor to the nation's sacred values and symbols, show sensitivity to the weak and concern for the environment, provide a positive personal example [and] defend the values of democracy..." He called upon them to note the low voting rate in the last election and the "large support shown for the Pensioners Party."
The President noted the parliamentary crises that have plagued Israel over the past several years, the government's difficulties in running the country, and "concern for strength of democracy." He said he therefore hopes to soon present the findings of the public commission he established three years ago for "alternatives to the governmental structure in Israel."
Mr. Katzav appeared to leave an opening for a referendum on the issue of a withdrawal from Judea and Samaria: "We stand before some of the most fateful decisions in the history of the state. We must decide how existential issues such as our final borders are to be determined."
"Israel's independence, peace, security and the beginning of the blossoming of our redemption are dependent upon unity amongst us. We must stand as one in the face of the difficult challenges in the struggle for peace and security, and in the struggle to determine our final borders. The eastern border does have existential significance. We must determine, with national consensus, the map of our vital national security interests."
He ruled out all forms of civil disobedience by saying, "The citizens have a right to object to the decisions of the Knesset and government, but they must wage the struggle only in legal and legitimate ways. Division, violence and law-breaking are totally unacceptable...."
Katzav praised the security forces for carrying out the instructions of the government and Knesset, and for preserving Israel's security.
"I call for the solving, without delay, of the problems that the expelled residents of Gush Katif and northern Shomron are still suffering from," Katzav said. "I have great admiration for the residents of Judea and Samaria, who settled these areas according to Israeli governmental decisions, and who endanger their lives for their beliefs and ideals. They have a great share in the achievements of the State of Israel."
Katzav then turned to the residents of the Palestinian Authority and said:
"In the past years, we have taken historic steps towards you. You had unparalleled achievements during this period, and there would have been more had you not chosen terrorism...
"The State of Israel made three historic concessions - the Oslo Accords, the Road Map, and the Disengagement - but as of now, we have not received anything in return...
"In these years, more Israelis were killed by Palestinian terrorism than in the first 50 years of Israel's existence. The State of Israel is a historic fact, and has announced its willingness to support the establishment of a Palestinian state - but the new Palestinian leadership that was elected refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist. It supports terrorism, and refuses to accept the international commitments promised by PA leaders..."