Eisenkot and Lieberman Hold Coalition Talks Amid Strategic Disagreements
Avigdor Lieberman and Gadi Eisenkot met to discuss coalition talks, navigating strategic differences over ultra-Orthodox parties and the proposed Knesset leadership.
Avigdor Lieberman and Gadi Eisenkot held a working lunch at the Samarkand restaurant to discuss coalition negotiations and the formation of a stable four-year government. The meeting, which lasted an hour and a half, was described by both sides as substantive and productive, though disagreements remain regarding key appointments and strategy.
Strategic Divergence on Coalition Building
According to political sources, the two leaders differ significantly on the roadmap for forming a government. Eisenkot favors swearing in a cabinet quickly with outside support from Arab parties, followed by negotiations to expand the coalition. Lieberman, conversely, insists on securing prior agreements with ultra-Orthodox factions like United Torah Judaism and Shas, excluding Arab parties entirely and demanding a reformed military enlistment framework based on his 2018 legislative proposal.
Leadership Tensions and Knesset Speaker Deadlock
Beyond policy and recruitment disputes, friction persists over the allocation of key parliamentary roles. Lieberman supports appointing Yair Lapid as Knesset Speaker, an option Eisenkot currently opposes. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video statement urging the establishment of a broad unity government, calling it an urgent national necessity.
