Lieberman Rules Out Support for Minority Government, Citing Religious Parties
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu, declared he will not support any minority government, thwarting a potential plan by Gadi Eisenkot. Lieberman insists on a coalition of "Zionist parties" only, excluding religious and Arab parties. The decision comes amid internal disagreements within the "change bloc" regarding the selection of a prime ministerial candidate. Eisenkot's previously revealed plan involved forming a minority government with strict conditions, including a universal draft law, and avoiding negotiations with Arab parties.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Avigdor Lieberman will not support any minority government, even a transitional one.
- Lieberman stated his coalition would include only "Zionist parties," excluding religious and Arab factions.
- Gadi Eisenkot had reportedly planned to form a minority government if the "change bloc" fell short of 61 seats.
- The "change bloc" leaders decided to postpone the choice of prime ministerial candidate until after elections.
- Lieberman suggested the Likud party, without Netanyahu, could be a significant coalition partner.
Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, announced Thursday that he will not support any minority government, effectively blocking a potential plan by National Unity Party chairman Gadi Eisenkot. Eisenkot had reportedly considered forming a minority government if the "change bloc" failed to secure a 61-seat majority, without negotiating with Arab parties.
Lieberman stated clearly, "We will not support any minority government, not even for a transitional period." In a post on X, he clarified his intention to form a coalition composed solely of "Zionist parties," explicitly excluding Ra'am, Hadash-Ta'al, Shas, and United Torah Judaism. He also suggested that "the Likud party without Netanyahu could be a significant partner."
Speaking at an event at the Israel Democracy Institute, Lieberman reiterated his stance against sitting with the aforementioned parties, arguing that the "status quo is gone" and that Israel has moved "10 steps towards a halachic state." His remarks come amid growing disagreements within the change bloc. Despite Eisenkot's expectation that rules for selecting the bloc's prime ministerial candidate would be established, Lieberman and Naftali Bennett opposed this, leading to a decision by bloc leaders at a meeting at Yair Lapid's home to defer the decision until after the elections.
Earlier in the week, it was reported that National Unity was launching a new campaign aimed at increasing its support, even at the expense of other parties in the change bloc. The party explained that becoming the largest party and surpassing Likud is crucial for receiving the mandate to form a government first. Eisenkot's minority government plan, revealed in late July, outlined strict conditions, including a universal draft or national service law, as a prerequisite for government entry. His strategy also stipulated no negotiations with Arab or Haredi parties regarding abstentions or support, ensuring no Arab or Haredi representative could claim influence over votes. Eisenkot's approach aimed to present Arab Knesset members with a public dilemma, forcing them to explain to their constituents if their opposition would result in Itamar Ben-Gvir remaining in government and Netanyahu continuing as prime minister.
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