Asked how a government can be formed without Haredi or Arab parties, Liberman says maybe Likud MKs will defect

By Ariela Karmel

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Ariela Karmel is a political correspondent at The Times of Israel. She previously reported for Calcalist and Haaretz. She holds an MA in Middle Eastern and African History from Tel Aviv University and a BA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia.

Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman speaks at a faction meeting in the Knesset on January 5, 2026. (Sam Sokol/Times of Israel)

Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman deflects when asked how he believes the opposition could form a government without relying on support from Arab or Haredi parties, which he has rejected.

“Maybe we’ll get defectors from Likud,” he says at a press briefing. “We’ll wait, we have patience. We need to take command of the Knesset. It’s critical to first replace the speaker.”