Likud and Blue and White never needed Liberman anyway. They have 65 MKs without him, and now it will be easier to include the much more reliable haredi parties in the coalition.
By GIL HOFFMANYisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman(photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/MAARIV)
Members of the Likud and Blue and White negotiating teams have admitted that throughout the coalition negotiations after the April and September elections they both have focused too much on their differences rather than their similarities.Well, now they have something new in common: They both are resentful of self-proclaimed kingmaker and Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman, and are glad that after months of him driving them crazy, he might finally be out of their way.Liberman’s announcement on Thursday morning that he will no longer help the formation of any government actually made the two sides breath a sigh of relief. Now the man who was supposed to mediate but ended up making their jobs harder will no longer be a factor.Likud and Blue and White never needed Liberman anyway. They have 65 MKs without him, and now it will be easier to include the much more reliable haredi parties in the coalition.It was Shas chairman Arye Deri, Liberman’s former friend, who first accused Liberman of deliberately sabotaging the talks and shifting between support for unity and consideration of a narrow government at strategic times to prevent any kind of government from being formed.Thursday, members of the Likud negotiating team and sources in Blue and White joined that chorus. Likud negotiating team member Ze’ev Elkin told KAN Radio that Liberman did everything he could to prevent a unity government.Elkin’s fellow negotiating team member Yariv Levin told Channel 13 that if it weren’t for Liberman and Blue and White’s No. 2, MK Yair Lapid, Israel would have had a government a long time ago.It is not too late to form a unity government by Wednesday night’s deadline to prevent a third election in under a year. Without Liberman, it might actually be easier.The two sides already agreed on passing laws to prevent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remaining prime minister beyond the time it would take to hold a third race. They agreed on the number of ministers in the cabinet and which party would receive what portfolios.Likud and Blue and White agree on annexing the Jordan Valley, and on other diplomatic and security issues. They disagree only on Netanyahu’s criminal cases, clean governance, electoral reform and matters of religion and state.The main difference between the two parties is whether Netanyahu would remain prime minister for three or five months. That is not a reason for another costly and divisive election.Perhaps, with Liberman out of the way, there will not have to be one.
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