Lieberman Seeks 61-Seat Solution While Ignoring Opposition Calls

The 27 October vote left Israel without a governing majority, with neither side securing the 61 parliamentary seats required to form a cabinet. Preliminary tallies from more than 90 percent of counted ballots show a deadlock, largely driven by a projected record 19 seats for Palestinian-led parties. These parties have pledged to support an opposition-led minority government, a strategy designed to block Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from returning to power.

Since the election, the primary path forward has been a national unity government pairing Netanyahu’s outgoing bloc with the main opposition groups. This arrangement aims to prevent a return to the polls. However, the process has stalled due to conflicting public positions and strategic maneuvering among key opposition figures.

Avigdor Lieberman, head of the Yisrael Beitenu party, has become the center of this stalemate. According to Channel 12, reported on Wednesday, Lieberman has largely cut off contact with his opposition colleagues. He is not returning calls from Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, or former prime minister Naftali Bennett, who heads the B'Yachad (Together) party. Lieberman’s own party is projected to win seven seats, making his stance critical to any coalition math.

Channel 12 reported that Lieberman is deliberately avoiding being the first to propose a unity deal. He is reportedly waiting for Eisenkot to make the initial move. The broadcaster stated that Lieberman plans to "lie in wait" while coalition negotiations continue. This tactic mirrors his behavior after the 2009 election, when he took a one-week holiday during coalition talks before eventually joining the government as deputy prime minister and foreign minister.

Lieberman’s silence is complicated by his specific pre-election conditions. He explicitly ruled out supporting a minority government that includes Arab parties, even temporarily. He has also declared he will not join a cabinet led by Netanyahu. His only stated openness is to a national unity government that includes the Likud party, provided Netanyahu himself is not part of the administration.

The next phase of coalition negotiations will likely focus on whether Eisenkot or Bennett will bridge the gap with Lieberman. Both parties are under pressure to resolve the deadlock before the deadline for forming a government passes. The outcome will determine if Israel moves toward a power-sharing arrangement or faces another election.