Yisrael Beytenu Chairman MK Avigdor Liberman on Tuesday presented his political roadmap for winning the next elections, calling for a 63-seat bloc of anti-Netanyahu parties that excludes both the haredi and Arab factions.
"I saw a poll showing us around 61 seats, and if we fully tap into the potential, we could reach even more," he told Yedioth Ahronoth in an interview.
Liberman launched a fierce attack on the haredi establishment, accusing it of exploiting the State: "Rabbis receive State salaries and pensions. A Chief Rabbi tells people that if they receive draft orders they should tear it up and throw it in the garbage," he claimed.
He went on to target Lithuanian-haredi rabbinic leader Rabbi Dov Lando, attributing to him the following quote: "These Zionists made the Arabs hate us. Those confused ones with knitted kippahs are dying in war because they don’t pray enough."
"The haredi establishment also opposed the founding of the State of Israel in 1948," Liberman added. "To this day, the Lithuanian-haredim recite mourning prayers on Independence Day. It’s utter madness. These are racist, sectarian parties. They live off this racism. Right now, it’s a battle over Israel’s character — Zionist and liberal or a state of Jewish law."
Rabbi Lando’s office responded with sharp condemnation, denying the remarks attributed to the rabbi. “Liberman, in his desperation over the progress in hostage deal negotiations and the fact that there are no elections on the horizon, has completely lost it,” the statement said.
“A week ago, he frightened the entire country with fabricated stories about Iran, and now he’s moved on to quoting invented statements,” the office added.
Last week, Liberman warned Israelis to be prepared for an attack by Iran, despite no official statements on the matter and no indications that such an attack was imminent.