Avigdor Lieberman Rejects Early Commitment to Opposition Bloc Leader as PM Candidate

Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, has opposed Gadi Eizenkot's demand that the largest party in the opposition bloc automatically nominate the prime minister candidate if they win the election. Eizenkot, head of the National Camp, recently stated in a Channel 12 interview that this rule should apply regardless of polling, arguing it reflects voter will and prevents a less-supported candidate from attempting to form a government.

Lieberman countered in a post on X that such early commitments could harm the bloc's chances of victory. He emphasized that the four main parties in the opposition should focus on increasing their overall strength rather than internal power struggles. Lieberman called for avoiding "political cannibalism" and maintaining a broad common denominator, aiming to shift five to six Knesset seats from Netanyahu's bloc to the National-Zionist bloc.

He cited the previous elections as a cautionary example, noting that even when a party achieves significant results, like Yesh Atid's 24 seats, it does not guarantee the party leader will form the government. Lieberman warned that pledging support to Eizenkot from himself or Naftali Bennett could cost their parties votes, as some supporters might switch to Netanyahu's bloc or abstain from voting.

Lieberman also expressed concern about the large number of parties running in the opposition bloc, which he said risks wasting votes that do not translate into Knesset representation. He urged voters to cast strategic votes for the four main parties and warned against independent runs by well-known politicians unlikely to pass the electoral threshold.

In conclusion, Lieberman reiterated that the priority now is not to decide the next prime minister within the bloc but to maximize the bloc's electoral strength before resolving leadership questions.