Liberman Opens Door to Haredi Draft Compromise, Sets Coalition Conditions

Yisrael Beyteinu leader Avigdor Liberman said on Friday that he was prepared to compromise over legislation governing military conscription for haredi, or ultra-Orthodox, Israelis as he outlined conditions for joining a potential coalition led by Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot. In a post on X, Liberman said he was willing to “be flexible and compromise” on the draft law.

Liberman set out three conditions for his party’s participation in a government. He called for an end to Benjamin Netanyahu’s tenure as prime minister and said Israel must avoid another election. He also ruled out backing a government that would depend on The Joint List or Ra’am abstaining in votes to enable legislation to pass.

He separately rejected sharing the premiership with Eisenkot through a rotation arrangement. Liberman argued that rotating the office undermines the proper running of the state and should be abandoned. His statement followed a Thursday evening Channel 12 report by Amit Segal that raised the possibility of such an arrangement, without confirming that either party had agreed to it.

The same Channel 12 report said Liberman had withdrawn his opposition to serving in a government alongside haredi parties, creating an opening for talks between the opposition bloc and United Torah Judaism, known as UTJ. The bloc reportedly discussed a more lenient conscription law. According to the report, the prevailing assumption was that pressure from Rabbi Lando would also force Shas to support the move.

UTJ chairman Yaakov Asher welcomed Liberman’s announcement, saying it was encouraging to see political figures show flexibility over conscription. He also expressed regret that a similar willingness to compromise had not emerged in previous years, arguing that it could have prevented incitement and internal conflict.

An unnamed UTJ source told Walla on Friday that Liberman’s position was not especially surprising. The source said the party had heard similar discussions since the elections and had gained a sense of their direction through contacts with opposition figures. The source indicated that UTJ would join them if offered a satisfactory conscription law, presenting that prospect as a matter of political practicality.

Reservists party leader Yoaz Hendel sharply criticized Liberman, accusing him of being willing to advance mass draft avoidance in exchange for power. Hendel questioned how that would distinguish Liberman from Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Netanyahu. He also accused Liberman of abandoning promises to protect state security and support IDF reservists, concluding: “We won’t give in.”