Lieberman: Israel Isolated Like North Korea; We'll Agree on PM After Election

Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, stated on Sunday that the upcoming elections will be a choice between conscription and draft evasion, warning that without his bloc's victory, Israel would become a halachic state. Speaking at a conference for liberal preparatory academies, Lieberman dismissed piecemeal judicial reforms, advocating instead for the establishment of a constitution. He proposed that the government appoint an expert team to draft a constitution within six months and suggested a referendum law to allow public approval of the constitution outside the Knesset, thereby settling religious and state relations and the balance of power between branches of government.

Lieberman criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, suggesting his focus is on the premiership rather than critical issues like collapsing governance, personal security, and Israel's international isolation, which he likened to North Korea and Iran. "He wants us to discuss who will be prime minister," Lieberman said, adding, "We will agree after the elections." He recalled past election strategies, noting that in 2021, his bloc won without pre-election agreement on the prime minister, but lost in 2022 when Yair Lapid garnered 24 mandates. Lieberman emphasized the current strategy is for each party to maximize its electoral potential, with agreements on government formation to follow the election, aiming for a solid 63-64 mandate majority.

He sharply attacked the current government, asserting that neither Netanyahu, Itamar Ben-Gvir, nor Bezalel Smotrich have any connection to the right-wing camp, describing the government as sectoral and prioritizing power over national unity. Lieberman also criticized the coalition's silence regarding protests by extremist Haredim in Jerusalem, where cash was distributed and the IDF was called an "enemy army." He set a non-negotiable condition for forming the next government: mandatory conscription for everyone, either military or civilian, managed solely by the Ministry of Defense without intermediaries.

Regarding foreign policy, Lieberman stated the only solution for Iran is regime change, citing the regime's inherent desire for war. On the northern front, he suggested Israel should have initiated a coordinated strike against Hezbollah with moderate regional tribes and states, with allies completing the operation. Lieberman concluded by asserting his vision is practical, based on his extensive Middle Eastern contacts.