New Israel parliament sworn in

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Source: CCTV.com | 02-25-2009 10:10

President Shimon Peres has ushered in a new Israeli parliament. He urged lawmakers to conclude an elusive peace deal with the Palestinians by the end of their term.

Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, second left, turns to Israeli President Shimon Peres , center, as they sit with the leaders of the various Israeli political parties that form the 18th Parliament posing for a group picture in  the Knesset after the Knesset Members were sworn in  Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009.(AP Photo/Jim Hollander, Pool)

That's a tall order for a legislature that has shifted sharply to the right following this month's national election.

President Shimon Peres told the new parliament that peace with Palestinians would be recognized as regional peace with all of Israel's neighbors.

He delivered his appeal just days after selecting the hawkish Benjamin Netanyahu to form a coalition government.

Shimon Peres, Israeli President, said, "We countered fire with fire, yet the cessation of violence should be concluded through negotiations. That is to continue negotiations with the Palestinian Authority until we reach an agreement. We don't want to control another nation and we don't want another nation to control us."

The centrist Kadima Party, led by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, won 28 seats on February 10th, one more than Netanyahu's Likud.

But Peres appointed Netanyahu to put together the next government because he has the support of a majority of the elected lawmakers.

Netanyahu is a hard-liner against the territorial concessions, but he's been wooing centrist parties. He wants to give his new government greater stability and a moderate face that would be more easily embraced by the international community.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei