Liberman Rules Out Netanyahu Alliance, Vows Zionist-Only Government

With Israeli legislative elections just under two weeks away on October 27, Avigdor Liberman, president of Yisrael Beiteinu, has firmly reiterated his refusal to participate in a government led by Benjamin Netanyahu. Liberman also rejected any form of minority government, even a temporary one, and intends to dictate terms to his opposition partners. "Our position is clear and unambiguous: we will form a coalition composed exclusively of Zionist parties," Liberman stated, explicitly excluding Ra'am, the Arab Joint List, and the ultra-Orthodox parties Shas and United Torah Judaism. He did, however, leave the door open for an alliance with the Likud party, provided Netanyahu is no longer its leader. "The Likud without Netanyahu can be an important partner. But with Netanyahu, no matter what, we will not sit in the same government under any circumstances," he insisted. This stance complicates negotiations within the opposition, particularly for Gadi Eisenkot, who had previously considered forming a minority government if parties opposing Netanyahu failed to secure an absolute majority in the Knesset. Liberman's refusal extends to any arrangement dependent on the support, even external, of Arab parties. With current polls indicating neither major bloc will achieve the 61 seats needed to govern alone, Liberman's demands could significantly impact coalition formation after the election. His rejection of alliances with Netanyahu, Arab parties, and ultra-Orthodox factions considerably narrows the potential for post-election agreements.