New members of the 26th Knesset arrived at the Knesset on Monday morning for a briefing on parliamentary work and practical guidance on how to advance legislation.
MK Elisha Medan (Likud) made no secret of his excitement in an interview with Arutz Sheva - Israel National News, sharing, "This is a very, very moving day, and you can see how excited I am."
"We all come with good intentions and want to do good. With G-d’s help, we’ll get to work and succeed. For now, I’m trying to find my feet here."
MK Elyasaf Peretz (Yashar!) said entering the Knesset was a dream come true.
"This is a very moving moment and a great privilege," he shared. "I’m thinking about my grandparents, who immigrated to Israel from Morocco. By serving in the Knesset, I’ve been privileged to fulfill their dream, too."
"I have the privilege of standing here to serve the people of Israel, and I also feel that I’m a representative of the bereaved families, of which I am a part."
Itamar Eitam (Religious Zionism) spoke about his excitement and addressed the political situation, saying, "It’s very moving to serve the State of Israel faithfully. The political situation is complicated, but a good government will be formed. We want a broad unity government that brings together all the good, Zionist forces that have the best interests of the people of Israel at heart."
"I call on everyone who wants what’s best for the people of Israel to rise to the occasion and seek good. We have many challenges ahead of us, and we must unite to do great things together," Eitam said.
Zvika Mor (Religious Zionism) reflected, "This is a festive and emotional day. I’m thinking about my grandparents on both sides, who came here from Auschwitz with only the clothes on their backs, and how proud they would have been to see their grandson enter the Knesset and become one of the decision-makers for the Jewish people in the State of Israel. It’s a great privilege."
He added, "What brought me to the Knesset is my son Eitan. Before the war, I never thought I’d enter public life. I just want to make sure no parent goes through what I did."
MK Eli Goldschmidt, who left the Knesset 25 years ago as a Labor Party member and has now returned as a Likud representative, said with a smile, "It feels like déjà vu. I’ve changed. I left the Knesset of my own accord in 2001, and now it’s 2026, so I’ve really gotten old."
Asked what he thought the next government would look like, Goldschmidt replied, "Only time will untangle the current political deadlock."