Liberman vows not to ‘succumb’ to Haredi ‘extortion,’ even if it means elections

As Israel’s politicians prepare for possible early elections, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman issues a statement flatly refusing to acquiesce to the ultra-Orthodox parties’ demand to pass a bill this week that would release ultra-Orthodox seminary students once and for all from the military draft.

Israelis “are being held hostage to a group of extremists,” Liberman says, referring to the lawmakers from the United Torah Judaism party threatening to topple the government if such a law isn’t passed. “They threaten to drag us all to unnecessary elections, in the middle of a complex security situation, and demanding that we submit to their extortion.”

Yisrael Beytenu “won’t surrender our principles,” he vows, and calls for a military draft compromise to be based on the military’s needs, and not Haredi lawmakers’ demands.

Liberman’s apparent decision to stick to his guns may make elections all but inevitable, as ultra-Orthodox parties will find it more difficult to give up on a law in whose name they have already publicly threatened to topple the government.