In light of the difficulties in forming the coalition by the Likud, MK Yair Lapid on Thursday called on Yisrael Beiteinu chairman MK Avigdor Lieberman to form an alternative government with the Blue and White faction.

In an interview with Reka Radio, Lapid addressed the differences between Yisrael Beiteinu and the Likud in the coalition negotiations.

According to Lapid, “If Lieberman enters the government, he will have to compromise on pensions, and once again the Russian public will not get anything, and if he waits for a few months, he gets 55 hands from us to raise the pensions to the size he promised. Together with him, we have 61 votes, a majority.”

There is only one problem: Even if Lapid manages to recruit 55 seats as promised, Yisrael Beiteinu ended the election campaign with only 5 seats.

It should be noted that on Tuesday, MK Yisrael Eichler spoke at the Knesset, claiming that “Yvette Lieberman is trying to torpedo a right-wing government,” and therefore called for renewed elections. Lieberman however denied allegations that he was negotiating with Lapid to form a coalition with him to the exclusion of the chareidim.

On Thursday, May 16, 2019, Yuval Karni reported in Yediot Achronot on behalf of senior Likud officials that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is seriously considering the possibility of forming a temporary coalition of 60 MKs without Avigdor Lieberman.

Senior Likud officials were quoted as saying that Netanyahu and the negotiating team find it difficult to decipher Lieberman’s conduct. “It seems that he is looking for an alibi why not enter the government,” the sources said.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)