Gadi Eisenkot and Avigdor Lieberman to Meet Amidst Political Sparring

Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the "Yashar!" party, and Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of "Yisrael Beiteinu," are scheduled to meet Tuesday evening, following recent sharp criticism from Eisenkot against Lieberman's perceived ambition for the premiership. Eisenkot stated on Tuesday morning that party leaders are in communication and anticipate further meetings, highlighting a weekly coordination between their parties. He expressed confidence in their shared goal of defeating the current government in the upcoming elections.

Last Thursday, Eisenkot criticized Lieberman's meeting with Naftali Bennett, chairman of "Habayit Hayehudi," arguing that their failure to establish clear criteria for a prime ministerial candidate harms their chances of winning. Eisenkot contrasted this with his own approach, emphasizing leadership, determination, and national unity, and asserted that the public would ultimately decide. He also noted the strong organization of his bloc, comprising four homogeneous parties.

In response, Yisrael Beiteinu stated that Lieberman is committed to forming a Zionist government without Benjamin Netanyahu, Arab, and Haredi parties. They emphasized the need for a universal conscription law without exemptions and the establishment of a state inquiry commission as a first order of business. The party also alluded to Eisenkot potentially forming a coalition with the Ra'am party, urging him to clarify his potential partners.

Eisenkot also addressed potential alliances, stating he would not partner with any Arab party that does not recognize Hamas as a terrorist organization to be dismantled. He criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu, calling his success Israel's disaster and accusing him of constant lying and prioritizing survival above all else, which he believes explains his irrational behavior. Eisenkot pointed to the Likud party's consistent polling at 18 seats as evidence of public fatigue with Netanyahu's leadership.

Separately, the "Yashar!" party filed a petition with the Central Elections Committee against Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and the Religious Zionism party. The petition demands the removal of an AI-generated video depicting Supreme Court President Isaac Amit, Justice Daphne Barak-Erez, and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara allegedly participating in a political protest against Smotrich and being forcibly removed by police. "Yashar!" claims the video incites violence against senior judicial officials and exploits their state roles for electoral gain. Religious Zionism defended the video as an illustration of their view that judicial figures employ 'legal violence' against government policy, denying any call to violence. "Yashar!" countered that portraying the forceful removal of judges as mere 'illustration' does not legitimize the trampling of their status for a campaign.