Liberman accuses Eisenkot of plotting post-election alliance with Netanyahu, siphoning votes

Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman on Friday accused Yashar party leader and former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot of planning to join forces with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Likud party when forming a government after the upcoming elections."The campaign being run by Eisenkot is not intended to shift a single vote from the 'draft dodgers' bloc to the 'those who serve' bloc," Liberman said, referring to the issue of haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Israelis refusing to serve in the IDF as other citizens are made to serve months of reserve duty."This stands in complete contradiction with the agreements reached by the bloc's leaders during their last meeting, undermines unity, and raises one simple question: What lies behind this move?" Liberman asked. Liberman said Eisenkot's strategy is to siphon votes from the parties that seek to enforce enlistment, then negotiate with Netanyahu to form a government once he has more mandates than Likud. To that end, on Thursday, Israeli journalist Ben Caspit reported that Eisenkot's Yashar party has recently decided to launch a campaign to draw votes from other parties in the opposition bloc, overtake Likud, and become the largest party in the Knesset. "The race to become the largest party is close. We must be the largest party and overtake Likud. Only then will we be the first to receive the mandate to form a government," read a message distributed to party activists."Regrettably, Gadi's lack of political experience is reminiscent of a pattern we have seen before with IDF chiefs of staff who entered politics," added Liberman. "From Yigael Yadin and Ehud Barak to Benny Gantz, military rank and experience are no substitute for political experience. Even Yitzhak Rabin, following his first term as prime minister, needed many years to return, gain experience, and get re-elected."'Ignore the spin...for the good of the State of Israel,' Eisenkot saysA short time later on Friday afternoon, Eisenkot shared his own comments, ostensibly in response to Liberman's accusations, although he did not mention Liberman -- or any other leaders -- by name. "We are 11 days away from the [most] fateful elections since the founding of the state," Eisenkot wrote. "At this historic moment, we must keep a cool head and focus on the goal.""I ask Israelis, those yearning for change, to ignore the spin and lift their heads toward the great victory we will bring for the good of the State of Israel," Eisenkot continued. "This is my mission, and it's the only thing I'm engaged in."He then referenced the current administration, although he continued to do so without naming any particular politicians. "This [victory] must be the mission of...those who want to replace the leadership of October 7," wrote the former IDF chief of staff, "which must not continue in office for even one more day." "After the heavy prices we have paid, the people of Israel will not forgive politicians who fail to rise to the occasion."After decades in politics, Liberman 'hasn't done ten percent' of what Eisenkot has, Gantz saysGantz, a former IDF chief of staff and defense minister whose Blue and White party has recently polled below the electoral threshold, responded to Liberman's remarks on social media."[After] 30 years in Israeli politics, Liberman hasn't done ten percent of what Gadi Eisenkot and I have done for the State of Israel," Gantz said. "Ever since I exposed his plan to form a minority government with Bennett and the Arab parties, he's been under pressure and firing in all directions," he continued. Liberman's original social media post insulted both Gantz and Eisenkot by calling the latter "Gantz II," attacking Gantz for running as an apparent opposition candidate before forming a unity government with Netanyahu in April 2020.Eisenkot has repeatedly insisted he would not allow Abbas or Tibi's Joint List to join his coalition, telling The Jerusalem Post that he did not consider them viable partners.Yashar leads polls, Eisenkot criticizes NetanyahuYashar has been leading in recent polls and is part of the opposition bloc seeking to replace Netanyahu.In a statement on Thursday, Eisenkot came out against Netanyahu, criticizing the prime minister for lacking strategic military objectives.“Let it be clear: as long as Benjamin Netanyahu is in power, Hamas will remain in power,” Eisenkot said.Shir Perets contributed to this report.