Chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu Avigdor Lieberman Talked this morning (Wednesday) with Guy Peleg and Anat Davidov about the latest developments in the political field, including the announcement Ron Huldai On the formation of a new party. “First of all, he is a serious man and I welcome any serious man who joins Israeli politics and the Knesset of Israel, so it looks like a more serious Knesset with heavier weight and a little maybe more appreciation from the general public,” he stressed on 103FM. “Unfortunately, the last rounds have not been good for the system. “Regardless of one political opinion or another, the more serious people enter the political race, the better.”
We see that there has not been a bang here as after the entry of Gideon Saar which was more dramatic. What do you say about that?
“We have to wait until February 4, I think we still do not know all the parties and all the names that will join in the time left until the lists are submitted to the Central Election Commission.”
Gideon Saar and Yifat Shasha Bitton in a joint message after the announcement of joining
Estimate there will be more joiners?
“Without a doubt I estimate there will be more joiners, more parties will emerge, there will be new people who will try to jump on this bandwagon.”
Will you join?
“We are really an island of stability against the background of all the parties that pop up like mushrooms after the rain and all kinds of defections. If they want to join, we will start the application process next week. Whoever wants to apply can have an orderly process, we have an excellent faction and we are an island of stability. The political, political and economic line. “
But the question seems to me to be sharper – do you not think that the fact that you place yourself in the center of the ‘No Bibi’ bloc has lost the extraordinary status you had in the language of Libra? The question is what will Bennett do and not Lieberman.
“The only question that interests me – what is good for the State of Israel. In terms of the national interest, we should thank Netanyahu for everything he has done and get rid of him right now. Every day he is in power together with Shas and Torah Judaism, it is a huge damage to the state.”
But no matter how you play with the numbers, the only question is what Bennett will do, because if he goes with Netanyahu, then the bloc is just not Bibi, he does not have a blocking majority.
“I think we have enough challenges to really deal with, the economic issue bothers me. The State of Israel has taken out loans of close to NIS 160 billion, our grandparents will have to repay. The third closure brings in another 120,000 unemployed. When I look at the deficit approaching 13 percent a month June is over for the whole story of grants, challah.
Support for Netanyahu is stable.
“Regarding Netanyahu, we saw on Tuesday in the Finance Committee, there was a cut in welfare budgets, in education budgets. Where did they add NIS 140 million? To yeshiva students, to all the ultra-Orthodox institutions. They also cut in internal security.”
What about the polls?
“What is clear from the poll is that all Zionist parties have over 60 seats and Naftali Bennett, I only heard a few days ago a sharp criticism of Naftali Bennett about this government, about Netanyahu being the worst government in history. If in the end he decides to join the worst government in history by definition the public will judge “Right now when I take all the parties and my proposal was also for Bennett, Saar and Lapid – let’s immediately create a bloc that will be clear to everyone that the 4 parties the day after the election form a bloc of 55-56 seats. That’s more or less what they are together.”
And what?
“Unfortunately I did not get an answer, together with Huldai and other players it is possible to reach 61 seats.”
What about the common.
“Right now there is a real option without a joint, without Shas, without Torah Judaism and without Netanyahu, it is around 65-64 seats. “If Naftali goes to the worst government, with Litzman and Deri, he will return to the ‘Block of North Korea’ bloc when everyone has signed Netanyahu time and time again from a declaration of allegiance.”
I mean, you actually do not believe that Bennett did not sit with Bibi?
“I do not know how to guess, I am not an interpreter either, this is your profession. I say that at the moment there is a real option without a joint, without Litzman, without Deri and without Netanyahu, there is a real option to establish a serious Zionist coalition with 66-64 seats.”
What about Gideon Saar, do you believe when he says he will not sit with Netanyahu?
“Today it’s a difference between deeds and talk, meanwhile the only ones who proved in 3 rounds that withstood all the pressure was Yisrael Beiteinu, Gideon Saar worked for Netanyahu, posed for pictures with him and starred with him on the billboards. Although he said by no means Netanyahu At every possible oath, I saw a respectable politician even take off a mustache. I want to believe that in the end Gideon Saar will really live up to his commitment and will not join Netanyahu. “
Believe it or not.
“I want to believe. Something that bothers me more, Gideon Saar is every day he and Elkin are interviewed in the ultra-Orthodox media and once again yesterday Elkin was interviewed live and they pledge to the ultra-Orthodox not to enter any coalition without Shas and Torah Judaism. In a coalition with Netanyahu. “
Zeev Elkin (Photo: Yonatan Zindel, Flash 90)But Gideon Saar wanted to close Tel Aviv, he maintains a religious lifestyle, why is that surprising?
“This is not surprising. I think that what we need as a state and we will not give it up, is civil marriage and public transportation on Shabbat in cities and non-Haredi areas. We must really pass the law recruiting yeshivas or national service or military service. We will not give it up, if Gideon Saar decides to give it up, I’m sorry. “
Won’t you be with him in government?
“We are not in politics just to grab the chair, we come up with plans, the biggest, biggest and most difficult challenge is rehabilitating the Israeli economy.”
You talk a lot about economics. Why does it sound like you want to be finance minister?
“I think this is the biggest challenge. I also really want to be Prime Minister, at this time the role is more important and more challenging and more critical than the next finance minister because right now they are just leaving scorched earth, there is an election economy in the most irresponsible way and leaving debts and ruins here. An increase in bankruptcies in 40 percent of small and mostly medium-sized businesses. “I think there are a lot of things that need to be dealt with, what is happening around Amir Ohana, he is taking a Ministry of Internal Security and turning it into a Ministry of Defense Netanyahu.”
With 8-7 seats do you want to be both Minister of Finance and Minister of Internal Security?
“I think we are, I’m sure we’ll get to a double – digit number and we will definitely want to. I think Eli Avidar can do a great job in the ministry, and get him back on track. In the Ministry of Finance no one else in the political system has the experience.”
Katz failed?
“He is not a finance minister at all, he does sit but he is not a director. The person who directs this is the Prime Minister’s Office. When Israel Katz declares that he will extend the Knesset and extend grants, he did not speak to anyone in the Ministry of Finance. I spoke to some senior officials in the budget department and they were on the verge of a heart attack when they heard on the radio that the finance minister was declaring it. He has no idea what is being done in the Ministry of Finance, he is detached from any professional level. This is simply a man who carries out instructions he receives from the Prime Minister’s Office.
Israel Katz in the Finance Committee (Photo: Danny Shem Tov, Knesset Spokeswoman)What about the joint list? You vetoed it, Netanyahu is flirting with the PM. Why can’t she be considered?
“This is not just flirting. Netanyahu is currently a collaborator of the Islamic Movement and Hamas, that was the reason I resigned as defense minister. A joint list is a list of supporters of terrorism and they are working against the interest of Israeli Arabs when they are voting against a peace agreement with the Gulf states, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, just as they voted against a peace agreement with Egypt they are working against the interest of Israeli Arabs. Boycott Shimon Peres’ funeral but go to Arafat’s grave that week? “A list of supporters of terrorism is the whole problem.”