Netanyahu sides with Liberman’s demand in ultimatum over conscription bill

The Likud party says that Prime Minister Netanyahu has offered a proposal to both the ultra-Orthodox parties and Avigdor Liberman in which he accepts the Yisrael Beytenu chief’s demand to pass his version of the controversial conscription law.

According to the prime minister’s proposal, as soon as the government is formed, Liberman’s original draft law will be presented as written in his proposal for the approval of the Knesset plenum. After its approval, the law will be prepared for a second and third reading by mutual consent,” a statement from the ruling party reads.

By doing so, the onus would be on the ultra-Orthodox parties to prevent elections.

“This means that the ultra-Orthodox will have to choose between Liberman’s law and a return to the original law, which means full mobilization for the ultra-Orthodox as for all parts of the public.”

“The proposal has now been submitted to the parties and we await their positive response in order to form a right-wing government tonight and prevent unnecessary elections,” the Likud statement says.