The 20th Knesset’s crop of new parliamentarians came to Givat Ram on Sunday for a seminar on how to bring about legislation appropriately and efficiently. 

Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein (Likud), veteran MK Amir Peretz (Labor-Hatnua), and Knesset Director-General Ronen Plot all greeted the incoming MKs. 

Knesset Secretary-General Yardena Meller-Horowitz, who organized the seminar, noted that “it’s very exciting, every time, to absorb new members of the Knesset.”

Addressing the new MKs during the seminar, Edelstein warned the group that as parliamentarians they would be encountering and dealing with both the positive and negative aspects of lawmaking. 

“You will discover how much you can influence this place, and suddenly a bill becomes a law and it can change the lives of many Israeli citizens. You will also discover less pleasant things. [It’s easy to] become an idler, because the public is boss.” 

“But I’ve never seen any idlers be reelected,” Edelstein added. 

The Knesset Speaker also drew attention to international relations and said, “public courage is required to deal with these things and to improve the country’s image.”

Peretz also addressed the group, giving them some words of wisdom before they embarked on their new roles as Knesset members. 

“You will immediately see that the pleasure of power is not a delight. The rooms here are much smaller than what you’ve had in previous roles. There is no substitute for hard work. You didn’t come to manage reality, rather to change it.”

“Cooperation between all MKs from all parties is a necessary condition for success,” he added.