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Avigdor Liberman drops veto on haredi parties in coalition, opposition in talks with UTJ
The Jerusalem Post • • world
Key Points:
- Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman has reportedly dropped his veto on forming a government with haredi parties, allowing the opposition bloc to start talks with United Torah Judaism (UTJ), though the party denied the report.
- The opposition bloc is considering drafting a more lenient military conscription law, which Shas may be pressured to support under Rabbi Lando's influence.
- UTJ abstained from recommending a prime minister candidate, signaling tensions with Netanyahu and benefiting the opposition's efforts to form a coalition.
- A potential coalition led by Gadi Eisenkot including UTJ would hold 55 Knesset seats, short of a majority, but could form a minority government with support abstentions from Ra'am and the Joint List, reducing Netanyahu's bloc to 46 seats.
- Liberman has historically opposed joining governments with Netanyahu, Arab parties, or haredi factions due to disagreements over military conscription and religion-state issues, with his stance previously contributing to political deadlocks and multiple elections.
