MK Avigdor Lieberman, who chairs the Yisrael Beitenu party, which according to unofficial results has nine seats, on Wednesday morning told TV News12 morning his demands to enter into a coalition government. Lieberman believes the “key” to forming a government now is the president, stating President Reuven Rivlin must play a more active role in coalition talks than in the past for he is a “dominant figure” and can bring about a coalition.
Lieberman said the option of sitting in a right-wing or a left-wing coalition with Netanyahu or Gantz respectively, is a non-starter, as he explained during his election campaign, he wants to see a broad-based liberal national unity coalition. He insists “nothing has changed” and he will not sit with either large party without the other. He added, “we will not budge a millimeter from our campaign promises” to voters, detailing some of his demands.
Lieberman explained that in order for him to enter into any coalition arrangement, there must be bus service on Shabbos in non-religious areas, stores must be permitted to open on Shabbos in those same areas, and civil marriages must be permitted as an alternative to today’s situation.
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He added that while the chareidim are “political rivals”, he never ruled out sitting with them as well, emphasizing he has nothing personal against anyone and that the hate campaign was one-sided, by the chareidim against him.
When asked about cabinet portfolios, he refused to respond, explaining “this is not the issue now” and first, the parties must agree to his platform. He went so far as to add “I will sit with the chareidim too, for as long as they accept my position, including buses on Shabbos but not in chareidi areas, civil weddings, the draft law, teaching secular subjects in schools and other related matters”.
In essence, Lieberman delivered a blow to both Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and MK Benny Gantz, and it now remains to be seen who and how a coalition government will be established.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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11 Responses
” the hate campaign was one-sided, by the chareidim against him.’
Delusional?
Lieberman explained that in order for him to enter into any coalition arrangement haShem shall dictate the terms in 12 days time during uNeSane Tokeph, and not Lieberman. Just as the 4th Commandment shall dictate the terms, and not Lieberman.
We doven for him every day in shmone esrei
Interesting – he wants buses in secular area, and wants secular subjects in charedi schools. Seems like a classic contradiction to me.
Interesting:
Basically: I will sit with the Charedim – but they have to do as I say…….
Nice!!
a government with bibi, deri, gafne and litzman? maybe the rabbis will be me’takain extra shevach to HKBH on that happy day. i prefer Lapid and lieberman’s chelek in OhB over litzman or deri!!!
I noticed that Lieberman’s policy agenda does not include “immunity for Bibi”. It would also appear that the majority of Israelis support his two key themes of having all segments of the Tzibur find some way to share the burden of national defense (including various forms of national service) and not having the government coerce the secular population to conform to Chareidi standards. Much will depend on whether Rivlin turns to Ganz or Bibi on the first round of consultations to form a government. Shaas and UT may not be happy sitting outside the coalition if Lieberman becomes the key block.
@ DrYidd if that’s the OhB you want. That’s what you will probably get. Mazel tov!
When an Apikores as Lieberman opens his fowl mouth its a lot easier to see the true colors of Israel. With Chareidim one can be blindsided and think that Israel is a “Jewish State”.
Israel is against the essence of Jews. As Lieberman openly without shame wants to eradicate Judaism because Zionism is clearly the antithesis of Judaism. Its as clear as BLACK AND WHITE!
Hes 100% right.
Can anyone say why a secular person that eats treif and is mechalel shabos and eats yom kipur&& needs to have his store closed or cant ride a bus? Israel is a democratic country. Israel is not run by people adhering to the Torah so why put people that are oiver on kol hatorah kilah restrictions? Only because it looks better for chareidim??
Face it! Zionism has brought down Judaism and let the “freye people” do as they pls. They do as they pls anyway so why push Shabos & other stringencies onto them when they anyhow are oiver on all?
Time to face the music.
Miriam your version of torah is antithetical to true torah, the Satmar Rav never would say that.
every Jew has to keep the torah, we don’t excuse not keeping the torah because someone is frey