Liberman says many in Likud are ‘praying’ Netanyahu is replaced — report

Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman has told members of his party that many Likud lawmakers are “praying” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will fail once again to form a government after the elections so they can replace him, according to a report on Wednesday.

The Ynet news site reported that Liberman, at a closed party meeting, said he’d met with Knesset members, mayors and central committee members from the ruling party and discussed with them the possibility that Netanyahu’s time as premier was coming to an end. The date of the meeting was not reported.

“They believe at least two-thirds of the Likud faction is praying Netanyahu doesn’t get 61 seats [in the Knesset, the minimum required to form a majority government],” he said, according to Ynet.

If Netanyahu can not form a ruling majority, those Likud members will not support yet a third election in a year and will hope to seize the opportunity “to replace Likud’s candidate to form a government,” he was quoted as saying.

Liberman reportedly added: “It’s hard to believe how much these people, who recently signed a declaration of loyalty to him, are itching to get rid of him.”

Blue and White’s no.2 Yair Lapid, reacting to the report, said: “Liberman is right. Likud is talking about it, and not in whispers anymore.”

On Saturday, Liberman said he was confident Likud would push the long-time Israeli leader aside if he has no clear path to forming a government after next month’s elections.

“There are a lot of deserving people in Likud and whoever they decide to choose in [Netanyahu’s] place will be acceptable to me,” he was quoted saying by the Kan public broadcaster during a cultural event in the central town of Shoham.

“If Netanyahu doesn’t have 61 recommendations after the round of meetings with the president, it’s clear he’ll be replaced the next day,” the Yisrael Beytenu chief added.

Following the September 17 elections, all parties elected to the Knesset will consult with President Reuven Rivlin on who should be tasked with forming the government. The president will then select the lawmaker he believes has the best shot at putting together a coalition. He is not legally bound to choose whoever has the largest number of recommendations.

Netanyahu received the support of a majority of Knesset members following elections in April and was tasked with forming a government, but was unable to do so after Liberman refused to join his prospective coalition unless a bill formalizing exemptions to mandatory military service for ultra-Orthodox seminary students was passed without changes.

Coming up one seat short of a majority without Yisrael Beytenu, Netanyahu pushed through a vote to dissolve the Knesset and call fresh elections rather than have another lawmaker get a shot at assembling a coalition. It was the first time in Israel’s history that elections failed to result in a government.

Recent opinion polls have forecast that together with right-wing and ultra-Orthodox parties, Likud will again come up short of the 61 seats needed for a ruling majority without Yisrael Beytenu.

Liberman has vowed to force a unity government of Yisrael Beytenu, Likud and Blue and White if neither Netanyahu or the latter party’s leader Benny Gantz are able to form a coalition without him after the vote.

Yisrael Beytenu is consistently polling around 10 seats, more than double its current tally and setting it up as a potential coalition kingmaker.