Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman sent a message to all his coalition partners this morning (Tuesday) and signals that he does not intend to accept what he calls the “fateful courtship measures” they are conducting against Shas chairman Aryeh Deri and his counterpart in Torah Judaism, MK Moshe Gafni. He did not like the fact that his coalition members winked at the ultra-Orthodox parties, claiming that “anyone who is planning a coalition with the ultra-Orthodox – will take into account that we will not be there.”
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The minister, who spoke with Aryeh Golan in “Here on Monday”, first began by referring to the rise in bread prices, but the conversation quickly shifted to the political crisis. From the very beginning, Lieberman defined the possibility that Benjamin Netanyahu would succeed in reaching 61 seats as a disaster. I repeat – the goal is to continue in the coalition of change without Shas and without Torah Judaism. I am particularly bothered by the fateful courtship of all the partners, without exception, after Deri and Gafni. “
“The attempt to form a coalition with ultra-Orthodox parties, whoever wants to prevent it – must make sure that Yisrael Beiteinu gets one more mandate from them – together. Everyone is chasing, all our coalition partners are chasing them. Everyone is there in such a fateful courtship.”
Lieberman also estimated that if Netanyahu does not reach 61 seats, calls will begin in the right-wing bloc to replace him: “To reach a broad Zionist coalition, including the Likud without Netanyahu. But for that to happen, we must ensure that Yisrael Beiteinu is larger in one of the ultra-Orthodox seats.”
At least, for me, Netanyahu’s return to the government and Balfour will be a disaster for the political system because it is clear that all he is interested in is French law, the overcoming clause. He wants to take care of himself and stop the trial and also give a bonus to Shas and Torah Judaism in the legislation of recruiting yeshivas, everything related to religion and state – to prevent options from the High Court to intervene. This is the deal he is offering to Gafni and Deri. He escaped the trial and they will get what they want. I do not know if the parties of the bloc of change will go with it, I see their courtship and the attempt to flatter the ultra-Orthodox and this thing for us is unreasonable and unacceptable. “Anyone who is planning a coalition with the ultra-Orthodox will take into account that we will not be there,” the minister concluded.