Lieberman Conceives Plan for Anti-Netanyahu Bloc: Report

i24 News – Yisrael Beiteinu’s chairman Avigdor Lieberman held over the course of Wednesday a series of talks with leaders of the so-called anti-Netanyahu bloc, outlet Maariv reported.

According to the report, Lieberman’s estimate is that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc will not have more than 59 mandates in the final count, including the right-wing Yamina party.

Therefore, Lieberman was cited as saying, “The main goal now facing the ‘bloc of change’ is to take over the Knesset.”

This entails replacing the Knesset Speaker and taking over the chairmanships of the House Committee, Finance Committee, and the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committees, Maariv reported.

Lieberman further stressed in discussions the need to advance legislation immediately that will prevent an indicted individual from contending for the premiership.

Netanyahu faces a graft trial in three separate cases — though he vehemently denies any wrongdoing. Reports in the past suggested that the Israeli premier intends to pass a bill that would grant him legal immunity as an incumbent prime minister, while his political rivals have attempted to push forward a bill that would force Netanyahu’s ouster due to his trial.

Lieberman, according to Maariv, argued that if such legislation goes through, it would force change in the Likud as well, solving Israel’s political stasis after four years of instability.