Lieberman Reverses Stance, Haredi Parties Navigate Coalition Talks
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
Avigdor Lieberman, formerly a harsh critic, is now seeking agreements with Haredi parties on a draft law, meeting with UTJ Chairman MK Yaakov Asher. Asher presented three key demands for negotiations with the "change bloc." Meanwhile, MKs Meir Porush and Eliezer Stark proposed their own draft law, reportedly opposing a "change government," while UTJ faces sharp criticism from the right for its coalition talks.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Avigdor Lieberman is seeking agreements with Haredi parties on a draft law after years of opposition.
- UTJ Chairman MK Yaakov Asher presented three core demands for negotiations with the "change bloc."
- MKs Meir Porush and Eliezer Stark proposed their own draft law, opposing a "change government."
- United Torah Judaism faces sharp criticism from the right for its coalition talks with the opposition.
- Negotiations involve Haredi parties' status, education budgets, and religion and state issues.
Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu, has dramatically shifted his long-standing opposition to the Haredi public. For eight years, Lieberman fiercely attacked the Haredi community, demanding a draft law with no exemptions and even suggesting revoking voting rights for those who did not enlist. Now, he is seeking agreements with Haredi parties to pass a draft law acceptable to Rabbi Dov Lando, a prominent Rosh Yeshiva.
This change is not merely rhetorical. United Torah Judaism (UTJ) Chairman MK Yaakov Asher met with Lieberman, officially opening negotiations on a mutually agreeable draft law. Asher presented UTJ's demands, which extend beyond conscription to include three core conditions for negotiating with the "change bloc": full regulation of yeshiva students' status, transfer of Haredi education budgets without mandatory core studies, and full preservation of the status quo on religion and state.
Panelists on the "Lail Shishi" program discussed whether the "change bloc" parties would pay significant ideological and political prices to unseat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Meanwhile, within the Haredi sector, MKs Meir Porush and Eliezer Stark have proposed their own draft law aimed at regulating yeshiva students' status and halting arrests of Torah scholars. This move reportedly stems from their strong opposition to any cooperation with a "change government."
Simultaneously, UTJ is facing intense criticism from its natural allies on the right. Channels like Channel 14 and other right-wing figures have launched sharp attacks, accusing the party of "betraying the bloc" and the religious public that has supported them for years, due to their negotiations with the opposition.
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