Avigdor Lieberman Vows No Military Exemptions for Torah Students in Future Government

Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, delivered a forceful interview to Yishai Cohen, firmly rejecting any military draft exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Torah students. He declared, "There will be no quarter exemption," criticizing the ultra-Orthodox leadership for repeatedly deceiving on this issue. Lieberman revealed a private conversation with Knesset member Moshe Gafni, who admitted regret over the failure of a 2018 draft law Lieberman had sought to advance.

Lieberman also condemned the current Israeli government, calling it "the worst government since 1948" and accusing it of risking the country's future to maintain power. He dismissed cooperation with Arab parties, stating Yisrael Beiteinu will not join any government relying on them. While not ruling out his own candidacy for prime minister, Lieberman emphasized his immediate goal is to topple the current government.

On security matters, Lieberman criticized the government's handling of Iranian threats, describing Iran as emboldened and accusing the administration of weakness and failure to achieve decisive outcomes. He also dismissed reports of a meeting between Mossad chief David Barnea and former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as "complete madness."

Regarding his personal political relationships, Lieberman explained the breakdown of his long-standing friendship with Aryeh Deri, attributing it to personal betrayals unrelated to politics. He stressed that in any future government he participates in, there will be no exemptions from military service for Torah students, demanding full enlistment or no government participation.

Lieberman expressed confidence in his party's rising poll numbers, predicting Yisrael Beiteinu will surpass 60 Knesset seats in upcoming elections, positioning them to form a stable coalition without Arab party support.