Lieberman eyes new elections without Netanyahu, vows to pass law barring indicted PMs

After ruling out the possibility of a minority government, Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Lieberman said Saturday evening that "we must get rid of Bibi" and outlined a plan to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana and pass legislation that would prevent politicians under criminal indictment from serving as prime minister.

"Immediately after the 26th Knesset is sworn in, we will work to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana and elect a new speaker. After that, we will pass the 'defendant law' through all three readings, and that will be the end of it," he wrote.

Lieberman's remarks appear to signal for the first time that he is considering another election, this time without Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu being able to run as Likud's candidate for prime minister. However, it remains unclear whether the proposed legislation, which would bar a person under criminal indictment from serving as prime minister, could withstand a challenge in Israel's High Court of Justice, given concerns that it would be considered legislation targeting Netanyahu personally. The Supreme Court previously ruled that Netanyahu could serve as prime minister despite the criminal indictment against him.

Lieberman has also rejected a proposal by Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yashar! party, to establish a minority government, with polls generally showing a deadlock between the rival political blocs. Speaking at an Israel Democracy Institute conference, and in a social media post published simultaneously, Lieberman made his position clear: "We will not support any minority government, not even a minority government for a transitional period. We need a Zionist majority government, period."

At the same conference, Lieberman said Likud could become a coalition partner if Netanyahu were no longer leading the party. "Likud without Netanyahu could be a significant partner. With Netanyahu, even if the world turns upside down, we will not sit with him under any circumstances. I know Likud lawmakers who understand the gravity of the moment and would be willing to provide the numbers needed and join a Zionist coalition." His comments, together with Saturday's declaration that Netanyahu must be removed from power, also point to the possibility of forming a broad government comprising what Lieberman has described as "Zionist parties only."

The dispute between Lieberman and Eisenkot has intensified in recent days. On Friday, 11 days before the election, Lieberman published a lengthy and particularly harsh statement titled "Gadi Eisenkot: Benny Gantz 2," accusing the former IDF chief of staff of seeking to establish a government with Netanyahu and the ultra-Orthodox parties. Meanwhile, Lieberman's second-in-command, Rafi Ben Shitrit, indicated that Yisrael Beytenu would recommend Lieberman for prime minister after the election. "He is the best and most seasoned politician we've had here, with 30 years of experience," Ben Shitrit said.

According to Lieberman, Eisenkot's campaign to make Yashar! the largest party is not intended to attract a single vote from what he called the "draft-dodgers' bloc" to the "bloc of those who serve," but rather to draw votes away from other parties within the same opposition bloc.

"That is completely contrary to the agreements reached between the bloc leaders at their last meeting on September 26. It undermines our unity and raises one simple question: What is behind this move?" Lieberman wrote. "As time passes, the picture becomes clearer. Eisenkot is preparing for the day after the election. What interests him is not being the largest party in the bloc of those who serve, but being larger than Likud and entering negotiations to form a government with Netanyahu from a position of strength."

Lieberman went on to accuse Eisenkot of "working toward establishing a government with Netanyahu, Goldknopf and Deri, while keeping the possibility of a minority government on the table as leverage against Netanyahu so that he can serve first in a rotation agreement."

"When I hear Minister Miki Zohar discussing the possibility of cooperation with Eisenkot, read reports about President Herzog's initiative to establish a Netanyahu-Eisenkot government, and hear the briefings coming from the White House, things begin to fall into place," Lieberman wrote. "The positions taken by Eisenkot's people on military conscription and the constitution only reinforce these concerns."