Netanyahu’s party says Liberman is joining emergency government

By Carrie Keller-Lynn 14 October 2023, 8:32 pm

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Carrie Keller-Lynn is a former political and legal correspondent for The Times of Israel

Yisrael Beytenu party chief Avigdor Liberman holds a faction meeting at the Knesset, October 9, 2023. (Oren Ben Hakoon/Flash90)

Yisrael Beytenu opposition party head Avigdor Liberman is joining the national emergency government and its security cabinet “immediately,” according to a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party.

Liberman, a former defense minister, offered to join Netanyahu’s government shortly after war broke out. The former Netanyahu ally politically broke with the premier in 2019 and has been a bitter opponent.

Liberman will join the security cabinet — but not the narrow war cabinet — and a second member of Yisrael Beytenu will join the broader cabinet.

Liberman’s addition to the security cabinet is expected to further weaken the influence of far-right ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.