News Analysis: Can the right-wing bloc best Lieberman?

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Calls for Unity from Wall to Wall (Almost)

By Hillel Fendel

Everyone in Israel, and especially on the nationalist side of the political spectrum, is still trying to make sense of the bombshell that has fallen upon us: a second election campaign forced upon us in less than a half-year. The fact that this was essentially the work of one single man – Avigdor Lieberman, head of the "right-wing" Yisrael Beiteinu party, who refused to come to a coalition agreement with Binyamin Netanyahu and the hareidi parties – makes it all the harder to digest.

Many feel Netanyahu was justified in saying – admittedly out of his angry frustration at his former Chief of Staff – that from now on Lieberman must be categorized as "left-wing," period.

Now Lieberman has come up with another headline-grabber, if not worse: He said he plans to force a "unity government" upon the country after the next election, using whatever clout he is granted by the electorate. That is, he plans not to join any coalition – thus preventing its formation, he hopes – unless both the Likud and the Blue-White party of Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid are members.

These, then, will be Lieberman's themes for the upcoming campaign:  The hareidim and other religious elements are to blame for all, and must not be allowed a real say in the upcoming government. In addition to stirring up much dissention and hatred, he is liable to attract the votes of many former Russian immigrants, as well as others in the Israeli public. 

Avigdor Lieberman at a Yisrael Beiteinu press conference, June 8, 2019. Credit: Moti Milrod

This makes the challenge for the religious-Zionist and nationalist parties all the greater: They must see to it that, together with the hareidi parties and the Likud, they achieve at least a simple majority of the 120 Knesset seats, without having to rely on Lieberman.

Interview with Yoni Kempinski: How Traveling the World Helped Me Understand Home

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Originally from Toronto, Yoni Kempinski now lives in Petah Tiqva and works as the Editor of the Arutz Sheva Israel National News English site, as well as the Video Coordinator for the Arutz Sheva sites (English and Hebrew). In this interview, he discusses his experience of Aliyah as a young child, his work at Arutz Sheva and the places its taken him, and what Israel really means to him.

Yoni Kempinski reporting for Arutz Sheva

“It's a special merit to be part of the Arutz Sheva English site. I’ve learned throughout the years that there is so much influence we can have in so many different fields via the English website, and that the work we do here must be done with responsibility and professionalism.”

[Interview conducted by Sharona eshet-Kohen]