The Knesset plenum stood in honor of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with rhythmic chants of “Modi! Modi!” echoing through the hall as he addressed lawmakers. The moment underscored the close ties between Jerusalem and New Delhi and reflected strong support among coalition members.

In a scandalous move Opposition members left the plenum during the session, drawing criticism from coalition lawmakers who described the move as disrespectful during a historic address by one of Israel’s key international partners.

The opposition was protesting that the Speaker of the Knesset did not invite the head of the Supreme Court who himself at odds with the government coalition.