Speaking on Israel Radio this morning, MK Betzalel Smotrich of the Yamina party commented on the new initiative being promoted by MK Avigdor Liberman of the Yisrael Beytenu party, who is seeking to create a center-right bloc that could, Liberman asserts, displace the Likud party along with Liberman’s personal nemesis, Binyamin Netanyahu, from power.
Liberman has reportedly sent a letter to the leaders of three parties – New Hope, headed by Gideon Sa’ar; Yamina, headed by Naftali Bennett; and Yesh Atid, headed by Yair Lapid – suggesting they combine forces to overthrow the “Netanyahu regime,” as Liberman terms it.
The concept is particularly interesting as it appears to be backtracking from Liberman’s previous vows that he will not sit in a government with “Messianics,” referring to the right-wing religious settlers he loathes. If indeed he does intend to partner with Naftali Bennett, it would seem that he is aiming to split the Yamina party into its component factions, persuading its more liberal wing (composed primarily of Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked) to desert the National Union, headed by Smotrich.
“Liberman scribbles something down and Yediot Aharonot rushes to place it on the front page – giving him the publicity he craves,” Smotrich said. “But we are not about to fall into the pit that this cynical and dangerous politician has prepared for us.
“Liberman is an extremely dangerous person,” Smotrich added. “He has no achievements to boast of – all he does is pursue a personal agenda, motivated solely by his hatred for Netanyahu. There’s no way we’re going to join him, and I hope very much that the Israeli political system will eject this evil person from its midst.”