Liberman Eases Haredi Drafting Stand

Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman has dropped his long-standing veto on forming a government with the haredi, or ultra-Orthodox, parties, according to a report published Thursday by N12 journalist Amit Segal. The move opens the door for the opposition bloc to begin formal discussions with United Torah Judaism, a key player in the current coalition.

The reported shift centers on military service. The opposition is discussing the possibility of drafting a more lenient conscription law for the ultra-Orthodox. For years, Liberman treated a mandatory draft for the haredim as a non-negotiable principle. By signaling flexibility on this specific issue, the Yisrael Beytenu leader removes a primary obstacle to coalition talks.

Yisrael Beytenu quickly pushed back against the news. In a statement to The Jerusalem Post, the party denied the report, claiming it was unaware of any such change. "We are not aware of any such thing. Nothing has changed since the briefing was given," the party said.

The timing of the reported shift aligns with a move by United Torah Judaism. Earlier Thursday, the haredi party declined to recommend a candidate for prime minister to President Isaac Herzog during its consultation. UTJ has been a longtime coalition partner of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Its decision to abstain benefits the opposition bloc, which seeks to replace the current leader.

Liberman had set strict boundaries for his participation in the next government during a press briefing on Tuesday. He rejected the option of a unity government with Netanyahu and ruled out a minority government reliant on support from Arab parties. He maintained that he would not join a government with the current prime minister.

Regarding the haredi parties, Liberman indicated a softer stance on Tuesday. He stated that any party accepting his set of principles and a conscription law to draft the haredim would face no objections from him. This remark suggested he was prepared to sit alongside the ultra-Orthodox factions under the right conditions, despite his party's insistence that nothing had changed.

The opposition has recently signaled greater openness to including the haredi parties in its coalition. Until now, Liberman's veto stood as a major barrier to such contacts. The situation remains in flux as the opposition seeks to build a viable majority to challenge Netanyahu's government.