Lieberman Seeks New Elections Without Netanyahu, Pushing "Defendant Law"
Translated & summarized from Vesty by baba
Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman is pushing for new elections to prevent Benjamin Netanyahu from returning to power, proposing a "defendant law" to bar indicted politicians from forming a government. Lieberman opposes minority governments and suggested Likud could be a partner without Netanyahu. He accused National Unity's Gadi Eisenkot of planning to form a coalition with Netanyahu and ultra-Orthodox parties. Yisrael Beiteinu plans to nominate Lieberman for prime minister if they win.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Avigdor Lieberman seeks new elections to prevent Benjamin Netanyahu from becoming prime minister.
- Lieberman proposes a "defendant law" to disqualify indicted politicians from forming a government.
- Lieberman rejects minority governments and suggests Likud could be a coalition partner without Netanyahu.
- Lieberman accuses Gadi Eisenkot of planning a coalition with Netanyahu and ultra-Orthodox parties.
- Yisrael Beiteinu plans to nominate Lieberman for prime minister after the elections.
- A previous High Court ruling allowed Netanyahu to remain prime minister despite an indictment.
Yisrael Beiteinu party leader Avigdor Lieberman has indicated his intention to pursue new elections, which would prevent Benjamin Netanyahu from running with the Likud party. In a strong social media post on Saturday, October 17, Lieberman stated his goal is to keep Netanyahu out of power. "We must remove Bibi! Immediately after the 26th Knesset is sworn in, we will replace the Knesset speaker and elect a new one. Then we will pass the "defendant law" in three readings, and the matter will be closed!" he wrote. However, the legality of such a law, which would bar individuals facing criminal charges from heading a government and is seen as personal to Netanyahu, is uncertain given a previous Supreme Court ruling allowing Netanyahu to remain prime minister despite an indictment. Lieberman has also opposed National Unity party head Gadi Eisenkot's plan for a minority government, advocating instead for a "Zionist majority government." He suggested that Likud, without Netanyahu, could be a viable partner, stating, "With Netanyahu, we will never sit at the table. I know Likud members who understand the gravity of the moment and would be ready to join a Zionist coalition." This aligns with his call to remove Netanyahu and hold new elections, potentially leading to a broad coalition of Zionist parties. Lieberman also sharply criticized Eisenkot on October 16, accusing him of seeking to form a government with Netanyahu and the ultra-Orthodox parties. Yisrael Beiteinu's second-ranked candidate, Rafi Ben-Shitrit, outlined the party's post-election plan, stating they would recommend Lieberman for prime minister due to his experience. Lieberman further alleged that Eisenkot's campaign aims to draw votes from within the bloc to position himself to negotiate with Netanyahu from a position of strength, potentially forming a government with ultra-Orthodox leaders. Lieberman cited statements from Minister Miki Zohar, initiatives by President Yitzhak Herzog for a Netanyahu-Eisenkot government, and White House briefings as evidence supporting his concerns about Eisenkot's intentions and positions on conscription and the constitution.
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