Avigdor Liberman Breaks with Opposition Bloc, Calls for Unity Government

Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Liberman has ended contact with the opposition bloc that includes former prime minister Naftali Bennett and Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot, according to a Wednesday report by N12 News. Liberman has not returned any calls from his former counterparts since the day after Israel’s general election on October 27, 2026.

The Jerusalem Post

The same report projects Yisrael Beiteinu will enter the Knesset with seven seats, falling short of pre-election polls that had anticipated as many as nine. Current tallies show the Likud party retaining its status as the largest faction, while Bennett’s B’Yachad party has absorbed the mandates that might have otherwise bolstered Liberman’s bloc.

The Jerusalem Post

Liberman has asked Attorney-General Gali Baharv-Miara to open a criminal probe into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, alleging that Netanyahu attempted to draw the Israel Defense Forces into a military confrontation to delay the election. Liberman has reiterated his refusal to join Netanyahu’s coalition and has indicated that, if any of his party’s members were to cross over, he prefers Eisenkot to do so alone rather than himself.

The Jerusalem Post

Maariv reported on Thursday that Netanyahu is weighing the formation of a unity government that would include Eisenkot, citing sources close to the prime minister. No definitive decision has been announced.

The Jerusalem Post

Liberman’s break with the opposition and his legal challenge add another variable to the already complex coalition-building process. With Likud remaining the largest party and Bennett’s bloc gaining ground, Netanyahu’s potential partnership with Eisenkot could reshape the balance of power, while Liberman’s refusal to align with the Netanyahu bloc limits Yisrael Beiteinu’s leverage in any forthcoming government arrangement.

The Jerusalem Post