Lieberman favors new election, but leaves door ajar for more coalition talks

Yisrael Beitenu’s leader Avigdor Lieberman refused to “capitulate” to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s Likud on the universal conscription bill, but left the door open for another round of coalition talks. The only compromise he accepted was permission for the ultra-religious parties who oppose the bill to absent themselves from the chamber during voting. If the coalition negotiations remained deadlocked, Lieberman said he had no objection to a new election and would back Likud’s bill for the dissolution of the Knesset. He faulted Likud’s negotiating team for its failure to conclude a deal with a single party and belittling partners. Lieberman dismissed the charge that his attitude would defeat a right-wing government. Given Israel’s demographics, he argued, there was no fear of a left-wing government rising in this generation.