Israel has a new prime minister but it seems Benjamin Netanyahu can't do away with his old habits. In a rare but hilarious faux pas, Netanyahu, who handed over the charge officially to Naftali Bennett on Monday, entered the parliament and sat on the prime minister's chair, till he was asked to vacate the seat and move to another designated place.
An uncomfortable Netanyahu was surprised but later realized the mistake and shifted to a different chair without making any fuss. The video of the incident has seen gone viral with his detractors now trolling him since the embarrassing moment.
Old Habits Die Hard
Bennett officially took over as Israel's new prime minister on Monday, ending Netanyahu 12-year rule, and the friction surrounding latter's ouster was apparent. There was no traditional handing-over ceremony, instead just a change of positions.
However, Netanyahu once again became the center of attraction, although for all the wrong reasons. While the Israeli parliament, Knesset, was busy congratulating Bennett, Netanyahu made a big faux pas. The BBC noted that Netanyahu still seemed to be in denial even after he was knocked out of power.
The video posted by the outlet shows that immediately after the vote on Sunday, Netanyahu shook Bennett's hand, then went to sit down—but instead of moving to take his new place on the opposition benches, he continued to occupy the chair, as if nothing had changed.
However, he was soon told by one of the members that he no more has the power to sit in that chair and needs to vacate. Following that, an embarrassed Netanyahu, with a straight face, is seen getting up and vacating the seat.
Still in Disbelief
As Netanyahu's 12-year leadership as Israel's Prime Minister ended on Sunday, with the eight party-coalition swearing-in ceremony, he skipped a photoshoot alongside his successor Bennett. As per reports, Netanyahu allowed the photographers to capture the kickoff of his Monday meeting with the right-wing party leaders who backed him and are now part of the opposition.
Even his farewell speech was less than gracious, where he slammed Bennett instead of congratulating him. "The right will not forget Bennett's deception," Netanyahu said before the parliamentary vote that booted him. "I will lead you in a daily battle against this bad and dangerous left-wing government, and bring it down. And with the help of God, this will happen faster than you think."
However, Bennett's win has been cheered by many. And more than anything Netanyahu's faux pas gave social media users a chance to troll him. According to several internet users, the video elaborates how "old habits die hard."
Many also called him a dictator who "loved his seat" more than the country, while several simply said he still felt "he was the Prime Minister."
