Avigdor Liberman and Binyamin Netanyahu in happier times
Avigdor Liberman and Binyamin Netanyahu in happier timesMiriam Alster/Flash 90

Yisrael Beytenu head MK Avigdor Liberman, the former ally of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu who even formed a joint list with Likud in 2012, came out swinging on Saturday, accusing Netanyahu of being a "political charlatan."

Liberman focused his vitriol on the Prime Minister's recent controversial law, which allows a member of Knesset who acts against the state to be suspended by a 90 MK vote, in a move following the meeting held by three Arab MKs from the Balad faction of the Joint List party with the families of terrorist murderers.

"In this matter Netanyahu deserves a Nobel Prize in the field of political charlatanism," Liberman quipped at a "Shabbatarbut" cultural event in Rishon Letzion.

"There is no chance that a majority like this will ever be found in the Knesset to dismiss the Arab MKs, because the left won't allow it," he noted. "In parallel, the Prime Minister is torpedoing the bill led by Yisrael Beytenu which truly can bring about the disqualification of the inciting Arab MKs."

Liberman called the planned law "a classic bluff of the Netanyahu school."

"This is a defeatist government that has no ability to ensure the security of Israeli citizens."

The former Foreign Minister stated that "the only thing holding it (the government) together is their adherence to the (Knesset) seats. There are enough skilled people and alternatives to Netanyahu."

"It's already clear to people inside the Likud, and also to the governmental partners from the other parties, that Netanyahu cannot continue."

Likud issued a statement in response, saying, "if he (Liberman) has so much to contribute to the effort, let him joint the right-wing government instead of hanging out with (Arab MKs) Basel Ghattas and (Hanin) Zoabi in the opposition."