Lieberman Signals Flexibility on Election Pledges for Government Formation
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu, has signaled flexibility on election pledges to form a government without Benjamin Netanyahu. He stated it is permissible to compromise to achieve this, referencing past ignored warnings. A party member, Dan Illouz, strongly opposed waiving the ultra-Orthodox conscription law, calling it an existential necessity. Lieberman also dismissed interpretations of his stance and advocated for a 61-member coalition excluding certain parties, potentially including Likud members.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Avigdor Lieberman signaled flexibility on election promises to form a government without Netanyahu.
- Lieberman referenced past ignored warnings about election campaigns harming the 'change bloc'.
- Yisrael Beiteinu's Dan Illouz opposed waiving the ultra-Orthodox conscription law as an existential necessity.
- Illouz suggested forming a "Zionist unity government" to avoid elections and implement reforms.
- Lieberman dismissed interpretations of his positions and denied discussing rotation agreements.
- Lieberman advocated for a 61-member coalition, potentially including Likud members, to form a stable government.
Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, has indicated a willingness to compromise on election promises to form a government without Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In a post on X, Lieberman stated that "it is permissible and desirable to be flexible and compromise" to achieve this goal.
Lieberman referenced past warnings he issued, including one in December 2016 about incursions into Israeli territory and the capture of Gaza border communities, which he said were initially dismissed but later materialized. He also recalled warning about 12 days before the recent elections that campaigns focusing on "the big party" and minority governments were harming the "change bloc," leading to a loss of votes.
Dan Illouz, a member of Lieberman's party, expressed strong opposition to waiving the conscription law for the ultra-Orthodox, calling it an "existential necessity" due to the military's need for combat soldiers and the economic burden of reserve duty. Illouz stated that while he understands the desire to avoid further elections, compromising on the exemption law, a key promise to voters, is unacceptable. He recounted his past efforts against a similar exemption law proposed by the coalition and his willingness to fight against it again, regardless of who proposes it.
Illouz suggested that the correct way to prevent elections is to abandon blocs, define agreed-upon principles, and form a "Zionist unity government" that would address security challenges, draft the ultra-Orthodox, and implement significant economic reforms.
Lieberman also addressed what he called "fictions and interpretations" regarding his positions, emphasizing that his statements are direct and meant literally. He specifically denied discussing rotation agreements with anyone, calling the rotation mechanism harmful and suggesting it should be abolished. Lieberman concluded by advocating for maximum effort to form a coalition of 61 Knesset members, excluding the Joint List and Ra'am, with the potential to add three or four Likud members. He believes this strategy is in the best interest of Israel and the Jewish people, offering a path to a stable four-year government.
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