Lieberman Backs Eisenkot for PM, Lapid for Knesset Speaker
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
Avigdor Lieberman announced he will recommend Gadi Eisenkot for Prime Minister and support Yair Lapid for Knesset Speaker, while reiterating his refusal to join a government led by Prime Minister Netanyahu. Lieberman criticized the "change bloc's" campaign, particularly Eisenkot's strategy, for significant mandate losses. He stated Netanyahu's bloc currently holds 53 mandates, a loss of 11, and that the "change bloc" secured 48 mandates, below expectations.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Avigdor Lieberman will recommend Gadi Eisenkot for Prime Minister and support Yair Lapid for Knesset Speaker.
- Lieberman stated he will not join a government led by Prime Minister Netanyahu, saying Netanyahu "must go home."
- Lieberman blamed Eisenkot's "selfish" campaign and minority government talks for losing 11 mandates.
- Netanyahu's bloc holds 53 mandates, while the "change bloc" secured 48 mandates, below expectations.
- Lieberman emphasized his party's clear platform and voter promises.
Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, has broken his silence following the recent elections, announcing he will recommend Gadi Eisenkot for Prime Minister. Lieberman also stated his intention to support Yair Lapid's bid for Knesset Speaker, positioning Lapid as a successor to the current Speaker. Lieberman emphasized his clear stance against forming a coalition with Prime Minister Netanyahu, stating he would not join Netanyahu's government even if offered the top position in a rotation, and that Netanyahu "must go home."
Despite his support for Eisenkot, Lieberman expressed disappointment with the "change bloc's" performance, attributing significant mandate losses to Eisenkot's campaign strategy and the discussion of a minority government. Lieberman claimed the bloc lost 11 mandates, with 7 to 8 of those lost in the final ten days of the campaign due to these factors. He described Eisenkot's campaign as the "most selfish" possible, focused on making his party the largest.
Lieberman asserted that his own party's platform was unambiguous, ensuring voters knew exactly what they were voting for. He recounted telling Netanyahu directly that he would recommend Eisenkot and support Lapid. The current government, led by Netanyahu, holds 53 mandates, a figure Lieberman noted was a loss of 11 mandates. He also criticized the opposition's failure, stating that the 48 mandates secured by the "change bloc" were far below expectations and poll predictions.
