Liberman Lifts Veto on Haredi Partners to Pursue Coalition Without Netanyahu

Avigdor Liberman, leader of the secular right-wing Yisrael Beytenu party, has lifted his veto against Haredi coalition partners, signaling a willingness to compromise on the contentious issue of military conscription. This strategic shift, announced via a post on X on Friday, confirms reports that the party will no longer block the inclusion of ultra-Orthodox groups in a potential administration. Liberman acknowledged the emotional difficulty of the decision, noting that while it hurts him personally, it is necessary to form a government that does not rely on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The move opens a viable route for a coalition led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot. By combining the 48 seats held by non-Arab opposition parties with the 13 seats of the Haredi parties, the bloc can secure a majority of 61 in the 120-seat Knesset. This arithmetic provides a concrete path to office without the need for a minority government or the support of Arab political groups, a scenario Liberman previously deemed unstable.

Prior to the election, Liberman had ruled out three specific conditions for his party’s participation: dependence on Arab parties, an alliance with the Haredi factions, and a government led by Netanyahu. While he has now relaxed the stance on Haredi partners, he retains the other two conditions, expressly rejecting the idea of a rotation agreement to share the premiership. He also ruled out the possibility of another election, making the terms of the draft law the central negotiable element within these limits.

The Haredi parties are currently in a stronger negotiating position as a result of this flexibility. United Torah Judaism chairman Yakov Asher welcomed the change on Friday, stating that while his party had not received a concrete proposal, any offer would be reviewed by its rabbinical leadership. Shas, the other major Haredi party, had previously recommended Netanyahu for the role of prime minister, indicating that internal party dynamics and religious leadership decisions will play a crucial role in determining the final outcome.

An editorial in the Haredi news website Behadrei Haredim argued that loyalty to Netanyahu’s bloc had left the community with little tangible benefit. It advocated for joining an opposition-led government if legislation could secure the status of yeshiva students, including protected education budgets and an end to arrests for non-enlistment. For Haredi leaders, the primary goal is to ensure the financial and legal protections of their institutions, and a different prime minister may be acceptable if stronger guarantees are offered.

However, Liberman faces significant pressure from his own supporters who voted for him specifically to enforce universal conscription. In previous campaign appeals, he demanded universal military or civilian service and rejected quotas or exemptions. Critics, including Yoaz Hendel of the Reservists party, have accused him of betrayal, while Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right ally of Netanyahu, mocked the opposition’s proclaimed alliance of those who serve. These reactions highlight the competing expectations within the opposition camp regarding the value of removing Netanyahu versus securing strict conscription rules.

Negotiations may return to the framework Liberman promoted as defense minister in 2018, which proposed delaying financial sanctions on yeshivot and imposing no individual sanctions on students who failed to enlist. The eventual legislation will determine whether this compromise is viewed as a pragmatic step toward broader reform or a concession that subordinates the issue of service to the political goal of changing leadership. The deal could provide Haredi leaders with political cover for their institutions, endorsed by a politician who built his appeal on challenging them, but the measurable change in enlistment rates will be the ultimate test of the agreement's success.