Lieberman Shifts Stance on Haredi Draft to Oust Netanyahu

Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, announced on Friday his willingness to compromise on the issue of Haredi conscription as part of efforts to form a new government without Benjamin Netanyahu. This marks a significant change for Lieberman, who has long made the Haredi draft a central demand for coalition formation. He is now urging his "change bloc" partners to be flexible to enable a government to be established, warning against a "third temple destruction" scenario.

Lieberman stated that election results necessitate a reassessment and that political decisions must consider past mistakes and future implications. He recalled past warnings that proved accurate, including one about infiltrators in Gaza and another about the "big party" campaign hurting the change bloc, which he believes led to a loss of 7-8 Knesset seats, including 3-4 from his own party, returning to Netanyahu. He cautioned that a minority government would be unstable and lead to Netanyahu’s return with an even larger majority.

He outlined three non-negotiable conditions for a new government: ending Netanyahu's era, avoiding further elections, and not forming a government reliant on the abstention of the Joint List and Ra'am. On all other issues, including the Haredi draft, he is prepared to compromise, acknowledging it is difficult but necessary for the national interest. Lieberman also dismissed reports of a rotation agreement with Gadi Eisenkot, advocating for a single leader to have full authority for a full term.

Lieberman's shift could potentially open avenues for negotiations with the ultra-Orthodox parties Shas and United Torah Judaism, whose stance on yeshiva student conscription has been a major point of contention. One possible framework being considered is a return to a 2018 draft law proposed by Lieberman himself when he was Defense Minister, which was seen as more lenient by the Haredi parties. This proposal did not include personal sanctions for draft dodgers and allowed for an adjustment period before economic sanctions on institutions failing to meet recruitment targets.

Despite this potential opening, significant obstacles remain. United Torah Judaism abstained from recommending Netanyahu to President Herzog but stated they would not rule out joining a government led by Gadi Eisenkot, provided the status of yeshiva students is legislated. Shas, however, recommended Netanyahu and continues to coordinate with the Likud. The formation of a 61-seat coalition including the Haredi parties is a complex prospect, with the key question being whether Shas and UTJ would agree to separate from Netanyahu.

Lieberman's flexibility on the draft has drawn criticism from some anti-Netanyahu figures, such as Yoaz Hendel, who accused him of compromising on national security and promoting draft evasion, questioning how this differs from Netanyahu and Smotrich.