Israel opposition figure makes U-turn on ultra-Orthodox draft to oust Netanyahu
Israeli opposition figure Avigdor Liberman has signaled a willingness to compromise on the mandatory military conscription of ultra-Orthodox Jews. This shift aims to build a coalition capable of ousting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following a period of political deadlock.
Why it matters
The potential alliance could end years of political instability in Israel and fundamentally alter the long-standing social contract regarding religious exemptions from military service.
Jerusalem: A hard-line figure in the Israeli opposition said Friday he would moderate longtime demands that ultra-Orthodox Jews serve in the military, seeking a coalition that can oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Neither Netanyahu nor opposition chief Gadi Eisenkot reached a majority in the October 27 election, with Israeli society highly polarized over Netanyahu and worn down by three years of war.
Eisenkot could form a coalition if he works with Israeli-Arabs, whose seat count soared on anger over Netanyahu’s far-right government, but that prospect faces strong disagreement from opposition partner Avigdor Liberman, a onetime aide to Netanyahu who now sharply criticizes the prime minister but shares his hawkish views on the Palestinians.
Liberman said Friday he would not back down on rejecting an alliance with Israeli-Arabs but said the opposition should negotiate with ultra-Orthodox Jews, despite his years of heated denunciations of the community for avoiding military service.
Also covering this story
2 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in