Lieberman: Election result 'failure of leftist media'

Israel Beiteinu head says party's "red lines" include changing electoral system, civil marriage reforms; expresses respect for Friedmann.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Lieberman dont mess 248.88 (photo credit: AP)
Lieberman dont mess 248.88
(photo credit: AP)
Israel Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman said Thursday that the election results, which have apparently given the largest bloc to the right-wing, proved the failure of the media, which he claimed had been trying to "advise" and even "coerce" people into voting for the Left. Speaking to Israel Radio on Thursday, Lieberman said he "knows exactly" who he would recommend that President Shimon Peres entrust with building a coalition, but that people should respect the fact that he would not yet share the information with the media. Lieberman said that in meetings Wednesday with Kadima leader Tzipi Livni and Likud chairman Binyamin Netanyahu, the issue of ministry allocations was not discussed. He didn't say whether he would recommend keeping Daniel Friedmann as justice minister, but he said that he respected him a lot. The Israel Beiteinu head added that by Sunday, the party would unveil its "red lines," which he said would include changing the electoral system and civil marriage reforms. When prodded regarding the ongoing corruption investigations and his upcoming trip abroad, which he has refused to divulge details about, Lieberman accused the media of a "delegitimization campaign." The Israel Beiteinu leader went on to say that the current difficult financial period was the ideal time for Israel to boost its aliah campaign, since most immigration to Israel had been due to economic crises.