Walkouts follow Netanyahu's attack on Arab parties at Knesset opening

Protests outside Israel's parliament accompany sharply different appeals inside: compromise, a broader coalition and a change of government.

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Netanyahu heckled during divisive speech on first day of new Knesset | ABC NEWS

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0:41Protesters allege foreign election funding and object to Arab representation; the report does not establish those allegations.
1:39President Isaac Herzog asks political factions to exercise restraint and seek compromise during coalition negotiations.
1:55Gadi Eisenkot advocates an emergency government with broad national consensus and talks to expand the coalition.
2:15Mansour Abbas defends the democratic process and pledges to continue efforts to replace the government.
2:31Netanyahu accuses Arab Israeli parties of seeking Israel's destruction, drawing heckling and walkouts.

Benjamin Netanyahu's accusation that Arab Israeli parties want to destroy Israel draws heckling and walkouts as newly elected lawmakers gather for the opening of parliament.

The report from Australia's Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) follows Middle East correspondent Matthew Doran outside the Knesset in Jerusalem before moving into the chamber, where speeches expose the divisions surrounding coalition negotiations.

Outside, demonstrators voice allegations that improper foreign funding influenced the election and objections to political alliances involving Arab Israeli representatives. Those are protesters' allegations, not established findings in the report. Doran also encounters a contrasting view: one man defends the legitimacy of the elected lawmakers' seats.

Inside, President Isaac Herzog urges restraint and compromise. In the report's voiceover translation, he asks lawmakers to "be measured toward one another" and reach out across political divisions.

Gadi Eisenkot, the Yashar party leader and former military chief, calls for the swift formation of an emergency government with broad national agreement. He says his party will discuss ways to expand the coalition significantly.

Mansour Abbas, leader of the United Arab List, also known as Ra'am, responds defiantly to the hostility surrounding Arab representation. He defends the democratic process and says his party will continue working to replace the government, presenting the election result as a vote for change.

Netanyahu's subsequent speech takes a different direction. His accusation against Arab Israeli parties prompts vocal interruptions and lawmakers leaving the chamber, turning the ceremonial opening into a visible confrontation over who should shape the next government.

Doran closes outside parliament, noting that the gathering is modest compared with Israel's larger historical demonstrations, while suggesting that momentum for political change is building.