Israel Opposition Gains Ground Against Netanyahu as Lieberman Converges on Haredi Military Draft
Israel's opposition reports progress in ousting Netanyahu after Avigdor Liberman drops veto on ultra-Orthodox military enlistment for coalition talks.
POLICY WIRE — Jerusalem, Israel — The Israeli opposition movement announced on Friday that it is gaining momentum in its efforts to remove Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from power.
The shift comes after a prominent figure removed a long-standing veto regarding demands for ultra-Orthodox Jews to serve in the armed forces.
This reversal potentially creates a path for an alliance with the Haredi community that was previously considered highly unlikely.
Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot stated that he has achieved “significant progress” toward constructing a new government to replace the current administration.
The political maneuvering follows the October 27 elections, where neither Netanyahu, the nation’s longest-serving prime minister, nor Eisenkot could secure a majority.
Israeli society remains deeply divided over the leadership of Netanyahu and is grappling with exhaustion following three years of ongoing conflict.
Avigdor Liberman indicated a willingness to be flexible regarding the “painful” compromise on Haredi enlistment, despite years of spent opposing their military exemption.
Liberman suggested that such flexibility is necessary to successfully form a government that does not include Benjamin Netanyahu.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)