Liberman softens draft stance to grease coalition deal while clinging to hard political red lines
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Avigdor Liberman said he is ready to bend on universal conscription if it helps assemble a government without Benjamin Netanyahu and without dependence on Arab parties, even as he insists on three absolute conditions.
Avigdor Liberman, leader of Yisrael Beiteinu, announced on Friday that his party would consider flexibility on the military-conscription law as part of efforts to build a new coalition that does not include Benjamin Netanyahu. He repeated three non-negotiable points: ending Netanyahu’s rule, avoiding another election, and rejecting any government that depends on abstentions by the Joint List and Ra’am.
Liberman said that, beyond those red lines, "flexibility and compromise are permissible and desirable" and that this applies to the draft law. He admitted the change would be painful for him and others, but argued that the national interest must come first.
The move could open the door to cooperation with ultra-Orthodox parties, whose support would be required to reach a 61-seat majority without the Arab parties. While his party had previously ruled out any compromise on universal service, Liberman’s statement marks a clear break from that position.
He also warned that a minority government dependent on abstentions by Arab parties would be unstable and could accelerate Netanyahu’s return to power. Liberman ruled out any discussion of a rotation agreement for the premiership, saying that whoever forms the government should have full authority for the term.