Avigdor Liberman: Unity government is the only option
In a radio interview, LIberman made clear that he only sees one option for coming out of the election predicament
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFAvigdor Liberman at the Maariv/Jerusalem Post election conference on September 11(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)Yisrael Beteynu leader Avigdor Liberman said on Thursday morning that a minority government with the Joint List is not something he's willing to consider.Speaking on Radio Kan Bet, Liberman stated that a unity government is the only true option and that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is the one dragging Israel to another election."We turned to the Likud for coalition negations and haven't gotten a response, they aren't even willing to make an attempt, we had an outline for a government where Netanyahu would be Prime Minister first, and still, no response."Liberman then attacked Netanyahu, saying that despite his constant claims to represent the right wing, he is in fact not right wing as far as he's concerned. "He has no connection to the right wing, he voted to deport people from the settlements," Yisrael Beteynu's leader said.When speaking about the possibility of a minority government, he called the Joint list "fifth columnists" saying, "It's not a coincidence that three members of Balad have been convicted of security felonies, no need to give them legitimacy, they don't even truly represent the Arab-Israeli population."Liberman met with Blue and White leader Benny Gantz after the latter received a mandate to form a government. Netanyahu has accused Gantz of planning on forming a coalition with fewer than 61 MKs, but with the Joint List and possibly Yisrael Beytenu supporting it from the outside, mostly by abstaining instead of voting against their proposals.
