Netanyahu Ex-Advisor Hanegbi Switches Allegiance to Lieberman's Party
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS French by baba
Former National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi announced he will vote for Avigdor Lieberman's Israel Beytenou party instead of Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud in the October 27 elections. Hanegbi cited disillusionment with the "messianic" and "racist" right, opposition to ultra-Orthodox military exemptions, and Lieberman's prior warnings about Hamas. He was dismissed by Netanyahu in October 2025. The move has been criticized by Likud supporters as driven by resentment.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Former Netanyahu advisor Tzachi Hanegbi will vote for Avigdor Lieberman's Israel Beytenou party.
- Hanegbi cited disillusionment with the "messianic" and "racist" right-wing factions.
- He opposes military service exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox population.
- Hanegbi was dismissed by Netanyahu in October 2025 over Gaza war disagreements.
- Lieberman had previously warned of a firmer stance against Hamas.
- A Likud commentator called Hanegbi's move "despicable" and "pathetic."
Tzachi Hanegbi, former National Security Advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, announced Tuesday he will vote for the opposition Israel Beytenou party, led by Avigdor Lieberman, in the upcoming legislative elections on October 27. In an opinion piece published on Ynet, Hanegbi, a long-time Likud figure with over 25 years as a Knesset member and minister, stated he no longer identifies with certain directions of the Israeli right. He declared, "I am not part of the messianic right. Nor am I part of the racist right, nor of a right that despises its ideological opponents," also criticizing the silence of some officials regarding nationalist violence.
Hanegbi specifically opposes military service exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox, a stance supported by several government coalition parties. "I struggle to understand how right-wing voters can justify their support for a general exemption from military and civilian service for a large part of the population," he stated. Hanegbi was dismissed by Netanyahu in October 2025 amid disagreements over the Gaza war and had previously criticized a conscription bill proposed by Likud MK Boaz Bismuth. This shift marks a significant personal break after nearly five decades of political loyalty, with Hanegbi emphasizing, "This time, I really have to choose, and not just vote."
Hanegbi justified his support for Lieberman by recalling Lieberman's pre-October 7, 2023 warnings for a firmer stance against Hamas. "Unfortunately, none of us, neither cabinet members nor security apparatus officials, gave his warnings the importance they deserved," Hanegbi acknowledged. He now describes Lieberman as a leader committed to national principles, embodying a respectful and unifying right-wing ideology.
The announcement drew strong reactions from Netanyahu's camp. Jacob Bardugo, a Channel 14 commentator and Likud list candidate, called Hanegbi's op-ed "despicable" and "pathetic," accusing him of acting out of resentment following his dismissal from the government.
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