Knesset Speaker Mickey Levy issued a directive on Wednesday prohibiting MKs from eating or drinking during sessions in the plenum due to it harming parliament's "public image."
In a letter to lawmakers, Levy referred to last week's budget debates, when lawmakers were seen eating and drinking during the hours-long deliberations.
Some of the MKs battled each other for the snacks and goodies they were treating their party members with.
"This is an act that harms the public image of Knesset, the way of the plenary debates appear, and may also dirty and damage the expensive and special equipment and furniture" in the plenum, he explained.
Levy noted that he made an exception and allowed the food to be brought in during the voting "because of the long hours, but from this moment on, drinks and food of any kind will not be allowed, as was always the custom."
In response to the directive, Likud MK David Bitan, known for bringing bags of sweet treats to the Israeli parliament in a habit that this week escalated to trays of the chocolate-coated marshmallow treat Krembo, reportedly quipped in response that "candy is not food."
Knesset's decorum has been increasingly challenged of the past years, with raucous debates and sessions descending into ill-mannered language and circus-like conduct becoming more common.