Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
Israel's 24th Knesset, the fourth one in two years, was sworn in last week. On paper, the legislators can get right to work - form committees, hold debates on the floor and oversee the government's work through the parliamentary tools at its disposal.
Except the ongoing political crisis that has gripped this nation for years has also sucked in the new parliament.
Infighting has halted the formation of the Arrangements Committee, which is tasked with putting together the rest of the parliamentary committees and is headed by Likud MK Miki Zohar.
This stalemate occurred as Likud is unable to muster a majority.
"Due to disagreements among the factions, the head of the Arrangements Committee has decided to postpone the vote on the formation of the panel to next week," said a statement from Zohar.
Is it preferable for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reigning over almost two years of complete political chaos?
There are no government meetings: the state budget – the holiest of holy for Israel's economy – has turned into a cynical political pressure tool; the Cabinet is paralyzed; and now Knesset is in turmoil just because Netanyahu is unable to gain a majority.
It is peculiar that for four consecutive elections, Netanyahu has been unable to win a 61-seat majority, but at the end of each cycle he still cries "victory!"
3 View gallery
Benjamin Netanyahu claiming victory in April 2019, after the first of four national elections in two years
(Photo: AP)
The parties belonging to the anti-Netanyahu bloc state argue that the prime minister wants to debilitate the Knesset so that he can maintain his grip on security issues.
"The postponement of the vote to form the Arrangements Committee is an unacceptable move on the part of Likud to paralyze Knesset and prevent parliamentary oversight of the government, including on matters of security," said Gideon Saar's New Hope party.
"Without the Arrangements Committee, other temporary panels cannot be formed – among them the Finance Committee and the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, which are necessary for parliamentary oversight," it said.
"Likud is trying to do away with parliamentary oversight at a crucial moment of sensitive security issues. The Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee must be formed at once," said MK Tamar Zandberg, the head of the left-wing Meretz party's Knesset faction.
These statements should not be taken lightly, especially with "dramatic" security leaks about Israel's defense being made for personal bragging and gains.
3 View gallery
President Reuven Rivlin, left, and Knesset Speaker Yariv Levin walk past an honor guard as the new Knesset is sworn in, April 6, 2021
(Photo: Knesset Channel)
Israel is barreling down a very slippery slope with no brakes, and with Netanyahu more or less running the whole show on his own.
The country's fundamental institutions of checks and balances are now pretty much nonexistent, and for Netanyahu, this is just fine.
The question every Israeli citizen must ask themselves is whether the state willing to forgo its national interests for the sake of personal woes and political battles.