Avigdor Liberman cuts ties with opposition leaders, urges unity government with Netanyahu

Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman has reportedly ended communication with opposition leaders Naftali Bennett, head of the B'Yachad party, and Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yashar party, according to a Wednesday N12 News report. Liberman has not returned phone calls from his counterparts since the day after the election.

Liberman, whose party is projected to win seven seats in the Knesset, continues to refuse a place in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition. He has also asked Attorney-General Gali Baharv-Miara to open a criminal investigation into Netanyahu over allegations that the prime minister tried to involve the Israel Defense Forces in a military confrontation to delay the election.

While Liberman launched a campaign to become prime minister, election results left him short of that goal. Current tallies show Yisrael Beytenu with seven seats, below earlier poll expectations of up to nine. The report notes that Liberman has lost ground to Bennett, whose B'Yachad party absorbed some of his mandates.

Liberman is said to prefer that Eisenkot, rather than himself, join the Netanyahu bloc. Maariv reported that Netanyahu is considering a unity government that would include Eisenkot, citing sources close to the prime minister.