Liberman confirms he’s open to coalition with Haredi parties, compromise on enlistment law

Yisrael Beytenu party chief Avigdor Liberman confirms reports that he has backtracked on years of vows to not join a coalition with ultra-Orthodox parties, saying in a statement that he is prepared to compromise on his continuous pledges to pass a law mandating the enlistment of Haredi men into the IDF.

In a statement posted on X, Liberman says the election results require Israel’s political leaders to “rethink our course” and “look several moves ahead.”

Liberman says the current political reality requires “difficult decisions” and “painful compromises.” He reiterates three red lines he has set: “The Netanyahu era must end”; Israel must not be dragged into another election; and no government should rely on the Joint List and Ra’am.

He reiterates that he opposes forming a government that depends on the two Arab parties’ support, and says Yisrael Beytenu “will vote against such a government.” On other issues, however, he says, “it is permissible and desirable to be flexible and compromise,” including on the ultra-Orthodox draft law.

“It pains me, and I know it’s painful to many others. But in light of the range of challenges we are facing today, the national interest must stand above any other consideration,” he says.

He warns that forming a minority government could pave the way for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to return to power with an even larger majority, saying “the road to the destruction of the Third Temple will be short.”

He points to the 2021 Bennett-Lapid change government, which lasted a little over a year before Netanyahu returned to office with 64 seats. A minority government, he warns, would last “much less time,” and then “we will get Netanyahu back with 70 seats for another four years.”

Liberman blames Gadi Eisenkot and his Yashar party’s campaign to become the “largest party,” as well as talks of forming a minority government, for hurting the change bloc in the final days of the election campaign. Liberman claims the bloc lost seven to eight seats in the last 10 days before the election, including three to four Yisrael Beytenu seats that purportedly went to Netanyahu’s Likud. No experts, data analysts or observers have made such claims since the election.

However, Liberman rejects reports that his agreement to work with the Haredim has come in exchange for a potential power-sharing, or rotation agreement by which he and Eisenkot would alternate as prime minister.

He says he has not discussed a rotation government with anyone, “not even with myself,” and calls the mechanism harmful to the country’s governance.

He urges political leaders to make every effort to form a 61-seat coalition without the Joint List and Ra’am, saying it may later be possible to bring in “three or four Likud lawmakers.” He calls this “the only strategy that reflects the interests of the State of Israel and the Jewish people” and says it could produce a stable government for four years.

The statement comes after Eisenkot received recommendations from 67 lawmakers to become the next prime minister, compared with 46 for Netanyahu, during consultations with party leaders held by President Isaac Herzog. Herzog said he would continue deliberating with party leaders and announce on Sunday whom he will task with forming a government.