Liberman rules out coalition with Arab parties

Neither the Change bloc nor the Netanyahu bloc won the 61 seats required for an outright Knesset majority in last Tuesday’s election.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Liberman said Saturday that his party would refuse to join a coalition that includes Arab parties, complicating efforts by the Change bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot to form a government after neither bloc secured an outright 61-seat Knesset majority in last Tuesday’s vote.

“We will not sit with supporters of terrorism!” Liberman wrote in a scathing Facebook post.

Liberman cited statements and actions by Arab lawmakers in explaining his position, including Ofer Cassif’s support for proceedings initiated by South Africa against Israel at the International Court of Justice in The Hague after October 7.

“After October 7, Ofer Cassif supported the proceedings initiated by South Africa against Israel at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, which alleged that Israel was committing genocide, and claimed that ‘the Israeli army is carrying out acts of terrorism.’”

He added, “Weeks before the elections, Ra’am MK Yasser Hujirat claimed that Hamas is not a terrorist organization but a charitable organization.”

Liberman also pointed to events at the Joint List headquarters following the election.

“On election night, at the Joint List headquarters, Osama Saadi dedicated the achievement ‘to our people in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem,’ and they sang the song ‘Biladi Biladi,’ the Palestinian national anthem,” Liberman continued.

“Anyone who wants to rely on supporters of terrorism is welcome to do so. Yisrael Beytenu will not be there.”

Neither the Change bloc nor the Netanyahu bloc won the 61 seats required for an outright Knesset majority in last Tuesday’s election.

Some members of the Change bloc have expressed a willingness to include Arab parties in a government.

Liberman’s refusal to participate in such a coalition, however, makes it less likely that the anti-Netanyahu bloc will be able to assemble a government.

Liberman has maintained that Yisrael Beiteinu will join only a coalition composed exclusively of Zionist parties.

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