Liberman: Government after March election ‘essentially a done deal’

Yisrael Beytenu chief Avigdor Liberman claims it is “essentially a locked and done deal” that a government will be formed following the March elections, after two rounds of national votes in 2019 failed to produce a coalition.

“I don’t want to go into details, but… there won’t be a fourth election,” he tells the Ynet news site. “I want a coalition of all Zionist parties.”

Asked if he means another attempt to form a unity government, Liberman answers: “Not unity, I say all Zionist parties.”

Liberman also asserted ahead of the September election that there would not be a third vote — a claim that was proved wrong.

Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman speaks during a press conference at the Knesset on December 11, 2019. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

The Yisrael Beytenu leader also says he believes the old-new Yamina alliance of right-wing parties will not pass the electoral threshold to enter the Knesset, citing the infighting and mudslinging he claims will drive away voters.

He attacks its leaders Bezalel Smotrich and Rafi Peretz who “want to take us back to the days of King David, King Saul, [of] Biblical law.”