Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman clarified today (Sunday) that he would be willing to sit in a government with the ultra-Orthodox parties if a law expanding Haredi conscription were drafted. He proposed basing a new law on the conscription law he himself proposed in 2018, and emphasised: “I still believe that the right model is a conscription law for everyone. At the same time, in light of the election results, we must examine possibilities for reaching agreements, including on the basis of frameworks developed in the past.”
Lieberman criticised those who had condemned him for considering a partnership with the ultra-Orthodox, arguing that this position led to the possibility of cooperation with the Arab parties. “Those who criticise me for trying to reach understandings with the ultra-Orthodox parties are among the same people who prefer to form a government that relies on Ra’am and the Joint List,” he claimed. “I want to make this absolutely clear: that will not happen. I will not support the formation of such a government, which, in my view, would harm national security and bring Netanyahu back to power.”
Katz: “In the Face of Iran’s Attempts to Harm Israel, We Must Stand United”
Defence Minister Israel Katz spoke at a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of Operation Kadesh and addressed Israel’s security situation and its implications: “Iran is trying to renew its efforts to obtain nuclear weapons, alongside other serious efforts that pose a real danger to the State of Israel. We cannot accept these threats.”
In light of this security situation, Katz called for unity: “In preparation for the major challenges still ahead of us, we must stand united – this is a time for unity, responsibility and mutual solidarity.”
It should be noted that the defence minister, along with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other figures in the right-wing bloc, has been making increasingly strong calls for unity in response to the mandate to form the government being given to Yashar! party leader Gadi Eisenkot.