Avigdor Lieberman Rejects Minority Government, Sets Firm Coalition Conditions

Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, declared in a radio interview on August 17, 2026, that he will not support the formation of a minority government relying on fewer than 61 Knesset seats. He emphasized that any attempt to establish a government with only 58 mandates will not include his party, stating, "I prefer to forgo the premiership rather than compromise on principles."

Lieberman outlined non-negotiable conditions for joining a future coalition, including the establishment of a state commission of inquiry and a universal conscription law requiring 100% enlistment from all sectors, Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze, and Circassians, with no exemptions. He stressed that there will be no concessions on these issues, even at the cost of the prime minister position.

Addressing recent reports of a political alliance with Naftali Bennett aimed against Gadi Eizenkot, Lieberman strongly denied any such coalition, calling the claims "lies and deceit" and accusing Eizenkot's associates, particularly Ronen Manlis, of spreading falsehoods. On leadership within the opposition bloc, Lieberman said the primary goal is to replace the current government, with decisions about the prime ministership to be made after the elections. He claimed to have a formula acceptable to all parties.

Lieberman also criticized the current political culture, condemning primaries and social media influence as fostering populism and superficial candidate selection. He revealed he deliberately avoided involvement in forming Yisrael Beiteinu's candidate list, entrusting the task to the party committee led by Alis Dobronski, citing past experience where he deferred to others' judgment.

The interview took place amid ongoing political maneuvering ahead of the next Knesset elections, with Lieberman positioning his party as a key player unwilling to compromise on core issues or support unstable minority coalitions.