Yisrael Beytenu's leader said on Facebook that he is not trying to bring Netanyahu down.
By ROSSELLA TERCATINHead of Israel Beitenu Party Avigdor Liberman on May 27th, 2019(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Yisrael Beytenu's leader Avigdor Liberman reasserted on Tuesday night that he is not going to change his position on passing the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) conscription bill as it currently stands."The conscription bill is neither whim nor ego nor revenge, but the cornerstone of our principled worldview," the member of Knesset wrote in a Facebook post."The proposal to transfer all the goals and the termination of the law to this government's decision is really like cosmetics for stuffed animals. It is not a minor change; it is a major change. Therefore, we stick to our proposal – the second and third readings in the original version just as in the first reading, with the understanding that the ultra-Orthodox MKs will not participate in the vote," he added.The five mandates that Yisrael Beytenu won are crucial to allow Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to put together the 65-mandate coalition that the appointed prime minister is expected to form.However, the negotiations stalled because of the incompatible requests of Liberman's party and the haredi parties, Shas and UTJ, that won eight seats each.Yisrael Beytenu's leader said that he is not pursuing vendettas."I am not looking to bring down the prime minister," Liberman said on Facebook. "On the contrary, I worked for quite a few years alongside Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu and with all the arguments and disagreements between us, I respect and appreciate the man."I am not against the ultra-Orthodox public," he continued, "I am in favor of the State of Israel, I am in favor of a Jewish state, but I am against a halachic state."Likud's efforts to reach a compromise with Liberman continued all day on Tuesday, although no direct meeting between him and Netanyahu took place, although it was reportedly scheduled.Netanyahu has until midnight Wednesday to tell President Reuven Rivlin that he has managed to form a government. If he does not succeed, a bill to dissolve the Knesset before Rivlin can appoint someone else with the task to form a government has already passed the first reading in the plenum.If the bill is approved in the second and third readings, Israel will hold new elections on September 17.
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