Liberman Calls for Opposition Unity, Rules Out Alliance with Eisenkot

Avigdor Liberman, chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, urged opposition factions to unite ahead of the upcoming elections, stating that individual parties risk failing to pass the electoral threshold. Speaking at the "Decisive Time: Democracy and Society" conference hosted by Ynet and Yediot Ahronot, Liberman emphasized the need for consolidation to prevent votes from being "thrown away." He specifically ruled out any possibility of an alliance with Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the "Yashar!" party, citing significant ideological differences, particularly regarding potential future cooperation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the issue of military conscription exemptions for Haredi men.

Liberman articulated his belief that without unification, parties led by figures like Benny Gantz, Gadi Eisenkot, and others would not surmount the electoral threshold on their own. He suggested that a united bloc could potentially garner four to three seats, making a concerted effort towards mergers or arrangements crucial. He criticized Eisenkot's ambiguous stance on not ruling out sitting with Netanyahu, contrasting it with his own clear position.

Addressing the political fallout from the October 7th attacks, Liberman stated that individuals who were in positions of responsibility and failed to take accountability, refused to establish a state commission of inquiry, and promoted conspiracy theories should not be part of the next government. He framed this as a principled stand, asserting that while political flexibility is sometimes necessary, it is unacceptable after such a devastating event without accountability.

Liberman also commented on a recent legal threat made by Yair Golan, chairman of the Democratic Party, against Prime Minister Netanyahu's wife, Sara Netanyahu, for alleged defamation. Liberman supported Golan's action, calling on him not to yield to what he described as an "organization of poison and psychopaths" working in Netanyahu's service. When questioned at the conference, Liberman reiterated that anyone spreading conspiracy theories is a "psychopath" and explicitly stated that he believes this is part of a planned campaign by the Likud party.