The chairman of the Ra'am Party, MK Mansour Abbas, did not attend the swearing-in of the 24th Knesset on Tuesday after he was hospitalized at Poriya Hospital in Tiberias.
Abbas tweeted, "A small kidney stone. I feel good, thanks to those who inquired."
Apart from Abbas, MK Meir Porush (United Torah Judaism) was also absent from the Knesset swearing-in ceremony. He flew to the US to attend the engagement of his grandson.
President Reuven Rivlin said at the swearing-in ceremony, "If we are not able to find a new model of partnership that allows us to live together here in mutual respect and genuine shared commitment to each other, our national resilience will be in real jeopardy."
Addressing the MKs, the President said, "Today, I am before a parliament that has dissolved itself four times in less than two years. A parliament that has relinquished, time after time, the right to express its confidence in the government. The disagreements that divide our society are genuine differences. Many of them are matters of principle. But there are times when we are obliged to resolve even wrenching, tough, painful disagreements. The seats on which you are sitting, honorable members, are rare and valuable. The power you have, in the voting buttons in front of you, is enormous. The Israeli people looks to you and expects each one of you to show leadership."