T. Belman. I like what Liberman is saying and doing. He is being demonized by too many people on the right. In April Netanyahu castigated him for demanding his law on the draft. Liberman was fully within his right to demand it. Netanyahu’s mistake was he didn’t demand the UTJ and Shas to accept it. Too late now, he has upped his demands. But I don’t think he is being unreasonable. He is opposing the power of the religious community and that is a good thing. Somebody has got to do it.
Secondly he has put the kibosh on the participation of the Joint List in the government. By doing so, he has increased the likelihood that Rivlin will task Netanyahu first to form the government. Netanyahu’s options are clear. Either form a coaltion with B&W or Liberman or both. If they combine to insist on much of Liberman’s demands thereby forcing Netanyahu and the religious parties to accept it, I would have no trouble with it. I think it would be a good thing for Israel.
Most commentators are wringing their hands at the outcome of the elections. Not me.
Yisrael Beytenu chairman calls on Netanyahu and Gantz to focus on a unity government. “For us, there is no other option.”
Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman on Wednesday published a post on his Facebook page in which he reiterated his position that he will only be part of a unity government between the Likud and Blue and White.
“Since last night, after the results of the exit polls were published, I have been hearing all kinds of commentators and experts presenting all sorts of scenarios and trying to form imaginary coalitions,” wrote Liberman.
“In order not to waste your time, I want to make it clear: Yisrael Beytenu, as we have said throughout the election campaign, will sit only in a broad liberal national government that will consist of three parties – Yisrael Beytenu, the Likud and Blue and White.”
“If Gantz and Netanyahu do not state that this is their intention, they should not even bother to call me. As far as we are concerned, there is no other option,” stressed Liberman.
“In order to remove from the agenda another scenario presented by ‘coalition builders’ of various kinds, I stress: we will not sit in any government with the Joint List or with the Arab parties, together or separately, neither in this universe nor in a parallel universe,” he clarified.
“I say sharply and clearly to Netanyahu and Gantz: Don’t waste your time, try to negotiate about this or apply pressure.”
“We will not concede on the passing of the Draft Law, as it was originally written, we will not concede on repealing the Supermarket Law, we will not concede on public transportation on Shabbat, we will not concede on civil marriages, and the introduction of core studies into haredi education. These are the conditions, and until we hear things in that spirit – there’s nothing to talk about.”
“Throughout the election campaign we heard a discourse of hatred from the haredi parties. We are political rivals but not enemies, and the statements we heard from [Moshe] Gafni, who called me Amalek, should not be made. Everyone knows what Amalek’s fate was and I will not elaborate. We want a normal country, where citizens will live by the principle of ‘live and let live’. I do not want to open supermarkets on Shabbat in Bnei Brak, and I do not want to close supermarkets on Shabbat in Ashdod, period.”
“The key is now in the hands of the President. He must take a much more active role in forming the coalition. I think he should call Prime Minister Netanyahu and MK Gantz this week for a meeting from which a message of unity emerges.”
“We are not concerned that a unity government will be established without us. We are concerned about the State of Israel. Of course we would like to be part of the next coalition, but we will also settle for the opposition if it serves the good of the country at this time,” concluded Liberman.
He will negotiate and sit with the Arab parties. He is a miserable traitor. Probably working for Putin, who seems to want a Palestinian state despite his professons of friendship with Israel. Put in any case, he has been wrecking everything and creating chaos. His sinister wrecking activities and posturing make him almost a demon in human form. Look deeply into his malicious staring eyes and malicious little smile.
@ Josephus:
Sure, if they’re capable of taking their noses out of the Torah.
No art of the deal here. The religious sector can do works & services outside the battlefield, protecting the nation internally.
Ted, You are correct about Liberman I quoted a JPOST article that shows that over 50% of the electorate agree with all the points Liberman is making. They want a government without the Haredim.
I do not like Liberman but the points he is making are popular with all the Secular, and most traditionalists. Obviously not with the Haredi.
Liberman would not sit with Joint List and they would not sit with him either or in a Zionist government. Never mind Gantz would not have the Joint List or NON-Zionists in any government if he ever gets to head one. In spite of some people trying to create hysteria (including Bibi and Sharon Haskell) that without Bibi Arabs will be running the government. Sort of Jewish version of the Chicken Little Story the sky is falling but now it is the Arabs are governing.