Lieberman and Eisenkot Agree to Cooperate After Heated Exchange

Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu, and Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of HaMahane HaMamlakhti, met Tuesday to discuss election strategy, agreeing that increasing voter turnout is paramount. The meeting followed a sharp public criticism by Lieberman, who accused Eisenkot of being "Gantz 2" and of seeking to form a government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the ultra-Orthodox parties. In a joint statement, the two leaders emphasized the importance of voting for one of the four "bloc" parties and avoiding votes for parties that may not pass the electoral threshold. They committed to continuing their cooperation to achieve victory and replace the "default government."

It remains unclear if their core disagreement over Lieberman's opposition to a minority government, which would rely on Arab party abstentions, was resolved. The meeting occurred after leaders of the "change bloc" convened in late September to coordinate election efforts against the opposing bloc and Netanyahu. Lieberman had previously closed the door on Eisenkot's plan for a minority government, leading to his critical social media post. In it, Lieberman alleged Eisenkot's "big party" campaign was designed to siphon votes within their own bloc, contradicting previous agreements and questioning Eisenkot's motives.

Lieberman further accused Eisenkot of aiming for a government with Netanyahu, Goldknopff, and Der'i, using a minority government as leverage for a rotation leadership position. He cited comments from Minister Miki Zohar, President Isaac Herzog's initiative for a Netanyahu-Eisenkot government, and White House briefings as evidence. Eisenkot's positions on conscription and the constitution also fueled these concerns, according to Lieberman.

However, Lieberman has since adopted a more conciliatory tone. He urged his bloc colleagues to focus on achieving over 76% voter turnout and voting only for the four bloc parties. He also reiterated the goal of removing Netanyahu, proposing to replace the Knesset Speaker immediately after the new government is sworn in and pass the "accused law" to end his political career.

Lieberman asserted that Netanyahu is weak and desperate for a unity government, predicting betrayal. He believes a decisive victory is possible if the bloc maintains a unified message of high turnout and focused voting, emphasizing that this would lead to the end of Netanyahu's era.