Lieberman Accuses Eisenkot of Plotting Coalition with Netanyahu

With 11 days remaining until the elections, and polls indicating a near-tie between the blocs, Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman launched a fierce attack on Yesh Atid Chairman Gadi Eisenkot. Lieberman accused Eisenkot of "scheming to form a government with Netanyahu and Deri," comparing him to Benny Gantz and criticizing his "big party" campaign strategy.

In a sharp social media post, Lieberman claimed Eisenkot's campaign was not aimed at attracting votes from outside their bloc but at poaching votes within it, contradicting agreements made by bloc leaders. Lieberman alleged that Eisenkot's true goal was to emerge as the largest party in the bloc, positioning himself for coalition negotiations with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, potentially as the first in rotation. Lieberman cited comments from Minister Miki Zohar about potential cooperation with Eisenkot, reports of President Isaac Herzog's initiative for a Netanyahu-Eisenkot government, and White House briefings as evidence supporting his claims.

Lieberman also pointed to Eisenkot's past statements regarding the ultra-Orthodox and his proposed draft deferral plan as further evidence of his alleged intentions. He reiterated Yisrael Beiteinu's consistent stance against supporting minority governments and its refusal to sit in a coalition dependent on Arab parties, referencing past statements by MKs Ofer Cassif and Yasser Hujairat as reasons for this position.

In response, Eisenkot urged the public to ignore "spin" and focus on the critical need for change, promising to lead a government that will not repeat the failures of the current administration. He vowed to bring about a better Israel and secure a decisive victory for the change bloc.

Benny Gantz, Chairman of Blue and White, defended Eisenkot and criticized Lieberman's attacks, calling them a distraction from Lieberman's own perceived political dead-end. Gantz advocated for a broad Zionist unity government, asserting that only Blue and White could achieve it.