Liberman rejects unity government with Netanyahu, vows coalition of Zionist parties only

Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman says he will not join a government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu under any circumstances and wants a coalition of Zionist parties only, ruling out Arab and ultra-Orthodox participation.

“Our position is sharp and clear: We will form a coalition made up only of Zionist parties,” Liberman says in a post on X. “Without Ra’am, without Joint List, without Shas and without United Torah Judaism.”

Likud could be “a significant partner” without Netanyahu, he adds, but “with Netanyahu – even if the world turns upside down, we will not sit with him under any circumstances.”

Fellow opposition leaders Yashar chairman Gadi Eisenkot, B’Yachad chairman Naftali Bennett and Democrats chairman Yair Golan have all publicly ruled out joining a government with Netanyahu. Three of the four Jewish-led parties opposing him have also rejected sitting in a coalition with Arab parties; Golan is the only one to endorse the possibility.

Netanyahu and Likud have repeatedly accused the opposition of planning to form a government with Arab parties and establish a Palestinian state.

Liberman also reiterates his opposition to the formation of a minority government, “even a transitional minority government.” Frontrunner Eisenkot has floated the possibility of a minority coalition, which Liberman has already rejected in the past.

Recent polls show that neither Netanyahu’s presumed bloc nor the four-party opposition bloc is close to winning a majority in the 120-seat Knesset.

“I believe we’ll achieve a solid majority in the upcoming elections, despite the polls,” Liberman says, adding that he knows several Likud lawmakers who understand that Netanyahu has turned them into “subcontractors” of the ultra-Orthodox parties. According to Liberman, those Likud members would be willing to join the Zionist opposition bloc.