Lieberman Prefers New Elections Over Minority Government
Translated & summarized from Zman Yisrael by baba
Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu, announced he will not join a minority government or partner with Arab or non-Zionist parties, preferring new elections. He suggested forming a coalition without Benjamin Netanyahu and even proposed attracting Likud Knesset members. Lieberman believes the "change bloc" could win a majority in future elections, though polls suggest otherwise. His stance is seen as driven by a personal rivalry with Netanyahu and a desire to eventually lead the Likud party.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Avigdor Lieberman refuses to join a minority government or partner with Arab parties.
- Lieberman is willing to face new elections to avoid coalition compromises.
- He suggests forming a coalition without Benjamin Netanyahu.
- Lieberman aims to attract Likud Knesset members to bolster a coalition.
- His political moves are seen as driven by a rivalry with Netanyahu.
- Lieberman harbors ambitions to lead the Likud party and the government.
Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu, declared on Tuesday that he will not join a government based on a minority coalition, nor will he sit with Arab or non-Zionist parties, including all Haredi factions. He explicitly stated he would not partner with Ra'am, Shas, or United Torah Judaism, even for a transitional period.
Lieberman suggested that a coalition could be formed without Benjamin Netanyahu, a sentiment echoed by many in the "change bloc," including Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, and Yair Lapid. To form a stable majority government, Lieberman proposed attracting Knesset members from the Likud party to join the coalition, a tactic he compared to the "despicable method" used by Netanyahu and his allies to poach lawmakers.
Lieberman believes a future election could yield a majority for the change bloc if 75% of its supporters vote, many Haredim stay home, and a significant shift occurs in the periphery, particularly in the north, due to the war's impact. He also anticipates strong support from young, first-time voters for the change bloc. However, these projections contrast sharply with most current polls.
The prospect of a government relying on Ra'am, even a short-term one, is deeply concerning for Lieberman and his party, despite their past cooperation with Ra'am. Lieberman's firm stance signals a readiness for further elections to avoid partnering with figures like Mansour Abbas or Yair Golan. He projects himself as a loyal Likud member, harboring ambitions to lead the party and the government in the future, potentially after Netanyahu's era.
Analysts suggest Lieberman's political moves are driven by a long-standing personal rivalry with Netanyahu, rather than ideology. This rivalry previously led him to withhold his party's support after the April 2019 elections, triggering four consecutive elections. Lieberman, described as right-wing and aligned with figures like Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, has historically allied with religious and Haredi parties but now expresses strong opposition to partnering with Yair Golan.
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