Liberman distances self from rivals

Avigdor Liberman has severed communication channels with key opposition figures during the immediate post-election period.

N12 News reported on Wednesday that the Yisrael Beytenu chairman stopped answering calls from fellow opposition leaders. The silence follows the day after the election, marking a distinct shift in his political posture. This move occurs as Liberman explores the feasibility of a national unity government while personally refusing to join Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s existing coalition.

The reported break in contact involves Naftali Bennett, head of B'Yachad, and Gadi Eisenkot, who leads Yashar. Both parties had previously maintained dialogue with Liberman’s faction. N12 indicated that Bennett gained electoral ground at Liberman's expense, capturing mandates that Yisrael Beytenu sought. Current tallies project Yisrael Beytenu securing seven Knesset seats, a figure lower than pre-vote polls that suggested up to nine seats. The anticipated fracture within Netanyahu’s Likud party did not occur, leaving it as the largest faction in the incoming parliament.

Liberman’s strategic ambiguity creates tension within the opposition bloc. He recently requested that Attorney-General Gali Baharv-Miara open a criminal investigation into Netanyahu. The probe would address allegations that the prime minister sought to involve the Israeli Defense Forces in a military confrontation to delay the election. Despite this legal maneuver, Liberman does not intend to be the opposition leader who crosses into the governing bloc. N12 stated that he prefers Eisenkot to make that transition alone.

A separate report by Maariv on Thursday cited sources close to Netanyahu. Those sources said the prime minister is considering a unity government arrangement with Eisenkot. This potential alliance would bypass Liberman, effectively isolating him from the new executive structure. The dynamic suggests a realignment of power that favors a narrower coalition over a broader opposition-led government.

Sources close to Liberman told N12 that he is choosing to lie in wait. This strategy is linked to the potential for a security escalation in the region. Such an event could create opportunities for further political realignment, allowing Liberman to reassess his position from the outside. For now, his party’s seven-seat projection and his silence toward rivals define his immediate standing.