Lieberman Stalls Political Talks, Refuses to Join Netanyahu or Arab Parties

Following the election results, Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu, is not rushing into political negotiations. According to a Channel 12 report, Lieberman rejects serving in a government led by Benjamin Netanyahu and refuses to form a government that relies on the support of Arab parties. In the immediate aftermath of the election, he has cut off contact with Naftali Bennett and Gadi Eisenkot, ignoring calls from his bloc's partners. Lieberman's current stance is far from his campaign goals; he aimed to establish himself as an alternative to Netanyahu but shifted focus to preserving his party's strength as Bennett gained votes at his expense. His attempt to weaken the Likud party also failed, with the party remaining the largest in the Knesset. Lieberman does not intend to join Netanyahu's camp and reportedly prefers Eisenkot to explore coalition possibilities alone. He also finds the current possibility of replacing the Knesset speaker unfeasible. Sources close to Lieberman believe a security escalation could complicate the political situation, leading him to prefer waiting for now.