MK Avigdor Liberman with United Right leader MK Rafi Peretz
MK Avigdor Liberman with United Right leader MK Rafi PeretzPhoto by Noam Revkin Fenton/Flash90

The Likud party on Saturday night responded to Yisrael Beytenu Chairman Avigdor Liberman's expression of support for a "unity government" including his party, Likud, and Blue and White - but excluding the religious parties.

"The cat is out of the bag," the Likud said in a statement. "Liberman said clearly that he's willing to sit with [Blue and White leaders Yair] Lapid and [Benny] Gantz and to force the creation of a left-wing government. Whoever wants a right-wing government should vote only for the Likud, led by [Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin] Netanyahu."

Nir Orbach, Director-General of the Jewish Home party, said, "Irresponsible Avigdor Liberman, who brought the entire country to unnecessary and abnormal elections, has already decided who he will sit in the coalition. We should take this statement as seriously as we did when he said he would eliminate [Hamas leader Ismail] Haniyeh within 48 hours. First let him pass the electoral threshold, then he can start talking."

MK Ofir Sofer (United Right) said, "How utterly amazing it is that Liberman's word cannot be relied on. A strong right-wing government will be created only with a large right-wing party to the right of Netanyahu, a party with values which is not afraid to speak openly about Israel's traditions, Israel's wholeness, and bringing sanity back to the courts."