Liberman Reportedly Halts Contacts With Bennett and Eisenkot After Election

Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman reportedly stopped taking calls from Naftali Bennett and Gadi Eisenkot on October 28, the day after Israel's election. He was also reported to be avoiding calls from other partners in the opposition bloc, choosing to wait rather than commit to a new political initiative. The report described two conditions shaping his position: he would not join a government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu, and he would not establish a government supported by Arab parties. It said Liberman would prefer Eisenkot to make any move into Netanyahu's bloc rather than take that step himself. It also said he saw no possibility of replacing the Knesset speaker with the current parliamentary composition, although that option was being discussed. The account placed his decision against the course of his election campaign. Liberman had begun by presenting himself as an alternative candidate for prime minister, but the closing days brought discussion of protecting his party's support as Bennett gained ground. His hoped-for split within Likud had not materialized, according to the report, which described Likud as the largest parliamentary party in the emerging results.