Yisrael Beiteinu chairman and MK Avigdor Liberman accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of endangering Israel’s national security in exchange for what he described as a personal political arrangement with US President Donald Trump, during an interview with 103FM on Sunday morning.
Liberman claimed Netanyahu’s conduct was driven primarily by efforts to cancel his ongoing criminal trial and remove the international arrest warrant issued against him.
The former defense minister alleged that the arrangement amounted to “turning Israel into a banana republic in exchange for canceling the trial and the arrest warrant.”
“How did we reach a situation where we became a banana republic?” Liberman said. “One day we [can suddenly] receive a message from President Trump announcing a ceasefire. There is a real arrangement between Netanyahu and Trump. Everything that interests Netanyahu is canceling the trial and the international arrest warrant.”
Liberman also dismissed messages from ultra-Orthodox political factions regarding possible future cooperation after the next election cycle.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump are seen shaking hands at a press conference in 2025. (credit: JONATHAN ERNST/REUTERS)
“Anyone building on a coalition with Shas and United Torah Judaism is giving up in advance on universal conscription, core curriculum studies, public transportation on Shabbat, and also giving up on Yisrael Beiteinu,” he said. “There is no such thing.”
An alternative model for haredim in the public sector
Referring to Jewish philosopher Maimonides, known as the Rambam, Liberman said he supports a model in which Torah study is combined with employment and civic responsibility.
“He stated clearly that someone who studies Torah and does not work desecrates God’s name,” Liberman said. “Approval of such a system leads to idleness.”
Liberman said any coalition he joins would oppose exemptions from military or national service for draft-age citizens.
“No one will receive an exemption, not even a quarter of a yeshiva student, and not only Jews,” he said. “Everyone will report to the induction center, and the IDF will decide who is needed for military service, while the rest will perform national service.”
He also reiterated that Yisrael Beiteinu would not sit in a coalition alongside Shas or United Torah Judaism.
“I want to formulate clear understandings and shared guiding principles,” Liberman said. “There is no scenario in which we sit with Shas and United Torah Judaism.”
Liberman keeps options open ahead of elections
The Yisrael Beiteinu chairman declined to say whether his party would join forces with the new political movement led by former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot.
“You are turning this into shallow journalism as if everything is personal, but that is not the essence,” Liberman said. “The essence is which flags you march under, what your worldview is, and what you are determined to achieve.”
He added that voters should focus on which leaders will uphold campaign promises after elections.
“With us, a word is a word,” Liberman said. “What we commit to before the elections, we will commit to afterward as well.”
Liberman concluded by outlining his political priorities ahead of a future election campaign.
“I have two goals, in this order: first, to bring down the government and replace it; second, to become prime minister,” he said. “That is my order of priorities, and that is how I will act.”