Avigdor Lieberman Criticizes Yair Golan Over Security Roles and Settlement Comments

Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the Israel Beiteinu party, sharply criticized Yair Golan, chairman of the Democratic Camp, during a conference in Ramat Hasharon on Monday. Lieberman firmly stated he would not support a government in which the Democratic Camp holds key portfolios such as defense, internal security, or justice. He described Golan's frequent calls for a Palestinian state and settlement evacuations as "complete madness" and accused him of inadvertently aiding Prime Minister Netanyahu's agenda.

Lieberman emphasized that while there are many areas of agreement, including limiting the prime minister to two terms, military conscription, and constitutional issues, Golan's repeated focus on contentious issues undermines the opposition bloc. He predicted a decisive victory for the opposition bloc in the upcoming elections, estimating 60 to 61 Knesset seats, and said his government would exclude Netanyahu entirely, even from regional cooperation roles.

In a Knesset Channel interview, Lieberman reiterated his criticism, accusing Golan of acting as if he were part of Netanyahu's propaganda team by constantly targeting settlements and pushing for a Palestinian state. Golan responded on social media, urging Lieberman to stop echoing Netanyahu's campaign messages and accusing him of trying to delegitimize the Democratic Camp to help Netanyahu return to power. Golan called for unity within the opposition to secure victory before debating government policies.

Lieberman had previously mocked Golan's statements about settlement evacuations, suggesting Golan lacked coordination between his words and intentions and sarcastically inviting him to a storytelling festival. The exchange highlights growing tensions within the opposition ahead of the elections and differing views on security and settlement policies.