MK Avigdor Lieberman, who heads the Yisrael Beitenu party, will, according to all election polls, hold the key to any new coalition.
Lieberman is blamed for leading the nation to new elections, as his party of five seats would not join a new coalition, insisting he was not willing to compromise on the draft law to accommodate chareidi demands. This led to new elections, and polls show that he will be even stronger and more instrumental in the 22nd Knesset. Both the right and left-wing will need his seats to form a government, placing him in a position to make major demands, leaving the chareidi parties concerned.
Speaking on Shabbos in Modi’in, Lieberman explained “I am interested in being prime minister, but I remain realistic, and try to see the picture. We do not have [a system of] direct voting, and one votes for a party. We have to gain enough votes”.
When asked if he would ask to serve as prime minister in the next government based on a rotation of the position he responded “There are those for whom the premiership is an obsession. For me, it is an option. First, we have to win in the election. I do not rule it out”.
“I first and foremost must work to bring enough votes. The effort is to establish a liberal nationalist broad coalition government. The post of prime minister is far less of an issue”.
Likud party officials responded: “Lieberman’s statements are a smokescreen to divert public opinion from being caught a week ago telling activists he will skip Netanyahu and recommend Lapid and Gantz to head the next government”.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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One Response
The report says “Lieberman is blamed … for new elections ….” Blame depends on your political view. I say he should be thanked, especially if the elections put the unwise and corrupt Likud out of office.
The real advantage of putting Likud out of office and having a “two states solutions” government in office for a while is to expose the utter, total, political bankruptcy of the Palestinian Authority. The PA wants a chronic problem between Israel and the Palestinians, and eventually a one-state solution – a Palestinian state. That should push the rest of the world to recognize the PA’s real goal and force the parties to a two-state solution. The Jewish one-state outcome is in the hands of Moshiach, and we should all be patient for that.