President Herzog Addresses the Opening Session of the 26th Knesset

President Herzog: “Alongside the fight against those who seek our harm, we must build a stable diplomatic horizon in the region with our neighbors—including our closest neighbors—and strengthen the peace agreements with Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, the UAE and Bahrain, and even add to them.”

President Herzog: “We must fortify our alliance with our greatest friend, the United States; strengthen our relations with all our allies; defend Israel’s good name; and fight to the very end against diplomatic sanctions.”

On November 10, 2026, President Isaac Herzog addressed the opening session of the 26th Knesset.

President Isaac Herzog:

“With feelings of joy and awe, I greet you on your day of celebration: the Members of the 26th Knesset, and the families who have come here with you.

“Hold on to the excitement and to the knowledge that many people chose you in the hope that you would advance Israeli society forward for the better. I know from experience that you will need that knowledge in the small hours of the night, in the plenum and in committee, precisely when the cameras are switched off.

“I stand here before you in reverence. You have chosen, out of bereavement, despite bereavement, and alongside bereavement and injury, to persevere and to serve Israeli society as Members of Knesset. Since the October 7th Massacre, we have been through many upheavals. We have known the depths, and we have scaled the heights. We have encountered terrible pain, and we have discovered how much sacrifice and heroism there is in Israel. We have come to know extraordinary citizens who, in their greatness, gave everything so that we can live here in safety in our everyday, ordinary lives.

“In recent years, we have seen what the citizens of Israel are willing to do for their country. Now you, the members of this House, veterans and newcomers alike, must also ask what you can and must do for them.

“Indeed, dear Members of Knesset, a state is not tested only in its hour of heroism. It is tested no less on an ordinary day, in routine times. There is tremendous greatness in heroism. But there is greatness, too, in the ability to build everyday life through small, routine tasks: to turn the strengths we discovered in the gravest crisis in our history into the foundations of a strong, functioning state in ordinary times.

“This Knesset must serve out its full term; there are many tasks before it. Nearly 80 percent of the people went to the polls and elected you. You must do everything to avoid a repeat election.

“The people who chose you long for routine, security, and tranquility. The people you represent here yearn to see an outstretched hand that will bring unity to the nation and hope. A people that carries within it pain, devotion, and sacrifice longs to see you translate those strengths into cooperation, into unifying dialogue, and into listening. I ask of you: be measured toward one another. Reach out a hand for compromise, even between rivals. Look upon one another with generosity. There is much work to be done here, and it requires the ability and experience found in every part of this House.

“For in order to secure ordinary days for the citizens of Israel, you, the people’s elected representatives, must also confront the nation’s enormous challenges. Iran’s empire of evil does not cease, not even for a moment, in its schemes and threats, whether directly or through its partners.

“Alongside the determined and resolute fight against those who seek our harm, we must build a stable diplomatic horizon in the region with our neighbors, including the closest of them, and strengthen the peace agreements with Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, and even add to them. We must fortify our alliance with our greatest friend, the United States; strengthen our relations with all our allies; defend Israel’s good name; and fight to the very end against diplomatic sanctions.

“We are duty-bound to leave no stone unturned: to investigate and understand how the catastrophe of October 7th happened, and to draw lessons and conclusions. This Knesset must address, with complete candor and seriousness, the challenge facing those who serve, in both the regular army and the reserves. Now is the time to find the right solution for a state that takes pride in its heritage and in the world of Torah study but whose challenges demand that the duty of service be shared by all.

“Israeli society is magnificent; it is remarkable. But sadly, there are moral stains within it that mar its beautiful face. There is no place in it for bullying. There is no place in it for racism toward anyone. And there is no place for violence: not in Arab society, not in the hills of Judea and Samaria, not on city streets, not in schools, nowhere. This violence must be eradicated with full force.”

“Before us is also the question of the future of the Jewish people. Always remember, and be mindful, that the words spoken in this hall, and the decisions made here, directly affect our Jewish sisters and brothers all over the world, who look to the State of Israel, which is also their home.”