Lieberman Relaxes Stance on Haredi Parties in Coalition Talks

Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, has reportedly removed his veto on joining a coalition government that includes Haredi parties, a significant shift from his previous firm declarations. This development, reported by Channel 12 commentator Amit Segal, comes after Lieberman had previously vowed not to sit with Haredi leaders such as Arie Deri and Yitzhak Goldknopf, and had insisted that full mandatory conscription for all, without exemptions, was a non-negotiable condition for forming a government.

Despite his earlier strong opposition, Lieberman has now reportedly given the "change bloc" the green light to begin negotiations with the Haredi parties, specifically United Torah Judaism. The reported basis for these talks is a softened draft of the conscription law, which would include milder terms for Haredi yeshiva students than Lieberman had previously demanded. This proposed framework allegedly delays sanctions on yeshivas for three years and avoids personal sanctions on draft-dodgers.

This move directly contradicts Lieberman's explicit statements made in a recent interview with Kikar HaShabbat. In that interview, he emphatically stated, "I am telling you in advance: I am not sitting in a coalition with Goldknopf and Deri, period." He had also stressed his commitment to full mandatory military service, citing high rates of evasion and the inflammatory rhetoric from some Haredi figures against conscription.

Lieberman also reportedly believes that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be replaced, partly due to the situation in the United States. However, he opposes forming a government that relies on the support of Arab parties, citing public opposition to such a scenario.