Liberman: We can put together a 61-seat majority; a minority government would crown Netanyahu for another term

Speaking in the Knesset, Yisrael Beytenu chair Avigdor Liberman insists he stands fully behind Gadi Eisenkot’s candidacy for prime minister, expresses confidence that the Eisenkot-led bloc can muster a 61-strong coalition, again rejects any reliance on the two Arab parties, and warns that a minority government would quickly restore Netanyahu to power.

“I am working to put an end to the rule of Netanyahu — once and for all. Not a temporary end,” he says. “Any minority government will ultimately, quickly, return him to power [after a new election], with 70 seats, for another four years. So anyone who is talking about a minority government, that means crowning Netanyahu for another full term.”

He says a minority government “cannot function” and would quickly collapse, and that he will “not lend a hand” to a coalition reliant on the Arab parties.

His specifies that his envisaged 61-strong coalition means the Eisenkot-led bloc’s 48 seats, plus the two ultra-Orthodox parties’ 13 — United Torah Judaism’s 7 and Shas’s 6. UTJ did not recommend a candidate for prime minister. Shas recommended Netanyahu. Liberman rules out even a temporary reliance on Arab parties if only UTJ comes aboard.

Liberman stresses that his declared goal in the election was also to build a coalition without the ultra-Orthodox parties, “but we only got 48 seats.”

“So we had to reassess, and find compromises and flexibility,” he says.

“We talked about… conscription for everyone. Today it’s clear that we’ll have to go with a different model… a conscription law that survives the High Court test. That is currently the best model that can be implemented without all the mess, without blowing everything up, and without going to a new election.” The challenge, he says, will be to find a formula that satisfies both the court and UTJ spiritual leader Rabbi Dov Lando.

Liberman also denounces “the sheer volume of lies and fabrications” about him and his intentions. “We were very, very clear throughout the campaign, during the election and after the election. We recommended Gadi Eisenkot immediately, without any conditions, as the candidate for prime minister, and forming a government rests on him. He leads, he’s responsible, and I stand at his side.”

Regarding first priorities in the Knesset, he lists “first of all, replacing the Knesset speaker; appointing the state comptroller; a law limiting the prime minister’s tenure to two terms; and immediately after that… [dealing with] the judicial overhaul [laws].”

He adds that the first government decision will be to establish a state commission of inquiry into the October 7, 2023, massacre.

He says he is “confident a government with a clear majority of 61 can be formed within a very reasonable time — and really rebuild all the ruins, overcome the rift, the cracks in Israeli society, and also restore the State of Israel’s international standing.”

Answering questions, Liberman says that, as the incoming chair of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, he will summon Shin Bet chief David Zini, IDF Chief Eyal Zamir and Mossad chief Roman Gofman.

He’ll ask Zini about the probes into alleged election fraud and foreign interference, noting the wide gulfs between what the Shin Bet chief has alleged and what law enforcement figures have said.

Liberman says he’ll ask the other security chiefs about claims regarding Iranian chemical weapons and “efforts to carry out actions” against Iran — referring to Netanyahu’s reported attempt to carry out an operation against Iran on the eve of the elections.

“There is no effective [parliamentary] oversight of the security establishment,” he fumes.