Netanyahu Seeks to Recruit Far-Right Lieberman into Govt

Local Editor

"Israeli" PM Benjamin Netanyahu met with politician Avigdor Lieberman to try to recruit him into the "Israeli" entity's cabinet, and political sources said Bibi agreed to his demand to be appointed war minister.

Netanyahu, who won a fourth term last year, governs by a majority of one in the 120-member Knesset, making his administration vulnerable to any falling-out among his political allies, so he is keen to add to their ranks.

It had appeared for the past several days that a course had been set for Isaac Herzog's center-left Zionist Union Party, which has 24 lawmakers, to agree on an alliance with Netanyahu's right-wing Likud.

But in a surprise move, Lieberman, who heads the far-right "Yisrael Beitenu" Party and previously served as the entity's so-called foreign minister, convened a news conference Wednesday to say he was ready to negotiate a pact with the premier.

Lieberman, whose party has six Knesset seats, demanded the war portfolio as well as new legislation imposing capital punishment on Palestinians carrying out fatal attacks. While saying Netanyahu acquiesced to Lieberman's demand to be appointed defense minister, the political sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, noted that other issues remained unresolved and a deal has yet to be finalized.

The current war minister is Moshe Yaalon who said that military commanders should not only "lead soldiers into battle" but also teach them "values, with a compass and conscience."

Netanyahu had criticized the deputy chief of staff's "outrageous" remarks, adding a few days later, however, that "the affair is behind us."

The outspoken Lieberman has publicly supported a soldier accused of manslaughter for shooting dead a wounded and prone a Palestinian, in contrast to both Netanyahu and Yaalon who both condemned the killing.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team