Liberman seeks compromise on draft

Avigdor Liberman called for a compromise on military service for ultra-Orthodox Jews on Friday, a move that sparked accusations of hypocrisy within the Israeli opposition. Liberman, who has long championed universal conscription, argued that the opposition bloc must reach "painful" understandings with Haredi factions to remove Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from power.

The statement drew sharp criticism from colleagues and analysts. Liberman broke with Netanyahu in 2019 specifically over the issue of draft exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox. For years, he has positioned himself as a fierce advocate for mandatory service for all citizens. His new stance on Friday put him at odds with his own party's history and the broader coalition's campaign promises.

On Sunday, Liberman pushed back against the criticism in a post on X. He dismissed the critics as a "series of analysts, mouthpieces, bots and bigots." He maintained that seeking understandings does not mean abandoning core values. "Understandings don't mean giving up on principles, and discussions don't mean red lines are erased," he wrote.

The political context is urgent. Gadi Eisenkot, the leader of the Jewish-led opposition bloc, is set to receive the mandate to form a government from President Isaac Herzog on Sunday evening. Eisenkot's bloc holds 48 seats in the Knesset. A governing majority requires 61 seats. The opposition must therefore form a coalition with either the Arab-led parties or the ultra-Orthodox parties.

Liberman has historically rejected a coalition with Arab parties. On Sunday, he reiterated that position, accusing some Arab lawmakers of "publicly identifying with Hamas." This leaves the Haredi parties as the primary option for the opposition, according to Liberman. He referenced an enlistment law he proposed in 2018 as a reasonable starting point for negotiations, noting it must be adapted to the current reality.

A coalition with the ultra-Orthodox represents a major shift in Israeli politics. The Haredi parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism, have traditionally been staunch allies of Netanyahu. However, United Torah Judaism recently broke with the prime minister over the draft issue. It declined to recommend him for another term. Shas remains with Netanyahu but has lost nearly half of its seats in the recent election.

Eisenkot has maintained a stricter line. He continues to demand that any coalition partner commit to universal conscription. He reiterated this principle in a statement on Friday, shortly after Liberman's post. Eisenkot is scheduled to meet with Liberman on Monday. The new government leader has six weeks to form a cabinet.

The Arab-led Ra’am party is preparing to support an Eisenkot-led minority government, even without signing a formal coalition agreement, according to a report by the Haaretz daily. Ra’am aims to prevent the opposition from relying on United Torah Judaism. The Joint List, the other major Arab party, will not vote for such a government but also will not move to topple it.

This configuration would provide Eisenkot with 56 votes in favor of his government. The opposing side would have a maximum of 53 votes. This margin allows Eisenkot to unseat Netanyahu without holding a full Knesset majority. Ra’am chairman Mansour Abbas confirmed that his party is in talks with Eisenkot's representatives. Both Arab parties intend to cooperate on replacing the Knesset speaker and setting up committees.

Liberman denied that he is acting out of personal ambition to become prime minister. "I’m not acting out of a personal ambition to be prime minister at any price. I have always emphasized that for me, it’s an option, not an obsession," he stated. He said he is not trying to undermine Eisenkot’s efforts to form a government.