Israeli Politician Offers Concessions on Draft Law to Form Government

Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, announced on Friday his readiness to compromise with Haredi parties on the sensitive issue of the military draft law, a key sticking point in coalition negotiations. He stated that his party would vote against any government reliant on the abstention of the Joint List and Ra'am parties. Lieberman called for the formation of a 61-member Knesset coalition that excludes these two Arab parties, while denying any discussions about a rotation in the prime minister's office.

Lieberman outlined three conditions for political moves: the end of Benjamin Netanyahu's tenure, avoiding further elections, and opposition to a government depending on the abstention of the Joint List and Ra'am. He emphasized that all other issues are open for compromise, including the draft law, which he acknowledged is a painful subject but necessary to prioritize Israel's national interest amidst current challenges. He did not specify the nature of the compromises he would accept on the draft law.

He reiterated his strong opposition to a minority government supported by the abstention of the Joint List and Ra'am, predicting such a government would be short-lived and ultimately strengthen Netanyahu. Lieberman cited the previous "change government"'s tenure of just over a year, followed by Netanyahu's return with a larger majority, as a cautionary tale. He warned that a minority government would last even less time, leading to Netanyahu's return with an even larger majority and potentially disastrous consequences.

Lieberman also claimed that the "change bloc" lost seven to eight Knesset seats, including three to four from his own Yisrael Beiteinu party, in the final ten days of the election campaign due to the "big party" campaign and discussions of a minority government. He dismissed reports of rotation talks, stating he had not discussed it with anyone. He further argued that rotation mechanisms are detrimental to effective governance and should be abolished, advocating for a single leader to hold full authority for the entire term. His proposed solution involves forming a 61-seat coalition without the Arab parties, with the potential to later bring in three to four members from the Likud party.