Lieberman Willing to Make Painful Concessions on Haredi Draft Law

Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party and a Knesset Member, announced his readiness to make concessions on the conscription law, despite personal opposition. He stated that the national interest necessitates overcoming differences and reaching compromises to form a stable government and prevent Benjamin Netanyahu from returning to power.

Lieberman emphasized that the election results require all parties to reassess their positions, acknowledging the lack of easy alternatives. He urged learning from past mistakes and approaching future political steps with a long-term perspective, not just immediate calculations. He recalled past warnings, including one in December 2016 about Hamas infiltration, which he claims were initially dismissed but later proven accurate.

Reflecting on the recent elections, Lieberman noted his prior warnings that the "largest party" narrative and discussions of a minority government were detrimental to the "change bloc." He observed a decline in the bloc's seat count, attributing a loss of 7-8 seats in the final ten days of the campaign, including 3-4 for Yisrael Beiteinu, to Benjamin Netanyahu and the Likud party. He cautioned against repeating past errors, advocating for strategic, chess-like political moves rather than reactive ones.

Lieberman warned that the previous "change government" lasted just over a year, leading to Netanyahu's return with a 64-seat majority. He predicted that a minority government would be unstable and could ultimately result in Netanyahu securing an even larger majority. He expressed concern that such an outcome could lead to what he termed the "destruction of the Third Temple."

Regarding political negotiations, Lieberman outlined three core principles: ending Netanyahu's era, avoiding new elections, and not forming a government reliant on the abstention of the Joint List and the United Arab List (Ra'am). While his party will vote against any government dependent on such abstentions, he indicated flexibility on other issues, including the draft law. He stated that the national interest of Israel and the Jewish people must supersede all other considerations, acknowledging the difficulty of these concessions.

Lieberman refuted speculation about his intentions, asserting his direct communication style. He denied discussing a rotation of the premiership with anyone, expressing opposition to the rotation mechanism itself, which he believes has harmed state administration since the days of Yitzhak Shamir and Shimon Peres. He advocated for the leader who successfully forms a government to hold full authority throughout its term.

He reiterated his refusal to support a minority government relying on the abstention of Arab parties, calling for a coalition of 61 Knesset members without their support to achieve a stable four-year government and return Israel to its proper course.