The new Knesset–Israel’s eighth–was sworn into office today in festive ceremonies presided over by President Eph- raim Katzir during which inter-party rivalries were set aside–for the moment at least–and gregarious good-will prevailed. “It was like shul on Yom Kippur with everybody shaking everybody’s hand and saying ‘mazel tov.” one observer remarked. The MKs discarded the casual attire that distinguishes Israel’s parliament from most others in the world and attended the opening in jackets and ties. Women members and the wives and daughters of MKs were resplendent in their finery.
Premier Golda Meir as the oldest member, was sworn in first and she administered the oath to the other 116 members present. Three MKs were absent. In the first order of business, the new Knesset re-elected Laborite Israel Yeshayahu as Speaker, something of a surprise in view of reported wide-spread dissatisfaction with Yeshayahu’s alleged lack of control over the last Knesset. He was supported by all parties except the Rakah Communists, and Likud which voted for its own candidate, former Supreme Court Justice Benjamin Halevy.
Katzir had all members rise in memory of Israel’s war dead and David Ben Gurion. He offered a prayer that all Israeli prisoners in enemy hands and the war wounded still recovering in hospitals will “soon be with us again.” The President also spoke of “a ray of hope” emanating from the disengagement agreement signed with Egypt last Friday and the Geneva peace conference. He noted that this Knesset was considerably younger than any of its predecessors and included many more native-born Israelis.
Mrs. Meir spoke briefly and in general terms reserving her major political statement on disengagement and related matters for the first debate of the new Knesset to be held tomorrow. She said it would be inconceivable if the “get rich quick” mentality and social inequities of the 1967-73 period returned now with the trauma of the Yom Kippur War still fresh. She said much needed to be changed, above all a willingness was required of each individual citizen to make sacrifices on behalf of the State and the nation. Mrs. Meir called for high standards of debate and behavior in the new Knesset.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
