Lieberman Coalition Conditions: Six Demands for Israel

Avigdor Liberman, chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, issued a statement Monday declaring his party will not participate in any minority government coalition. He outlined six preconditions for joining any future government, addressing what he called misleading media reports about opposition negotiations.

"In recent days I've been hearing all sorts of voices and various strange briefings to the media. Anyone who writes or briefs about this axis or that alliance supposedly existing within the opposition against one another is lying brazenly," Lieberman wrote.

The veteran politician emphasized these are non-negotiable positions he will maintain whether serving as prime minister or as a minister in the next government.

Lieberman's first condition calls for establishing a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 massacre. "A state commission of inquiry into the October 7 massacre will be the government's first decision, and it will follow the existing law exactly as written, without tricks or various additions," he stated.

His second and central demand concerns military service. Lieberman insists on a universal draft law covering all citizens, Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze, and Circassians, through two tracks: military and civilian. "There will be no exemption, not for 30%, not for 3%, not for a single person," he stressed. Those not serving in the Israel Defense Forces would complete three years of civilian service under the Defense Ministry's sole authority. This would address the longstanding controversy over exemptions for ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students, which has divided Israeli society for decades.

The third condition addresses education policy. Liberman demands that core curriculum studies, including Bible and civics, become mandatory in all educational institutions receiving government funding. "There will be no more exempted institutions, and an educational institution that doesn't teach core curriculum won't receive a single shekel from the state," he declared.

His fourth demand would limit the prime minister's tenure to two terms only. The fifth condition calls for appointing an expert committee to draft a constitution for Israel, alongside legislation for a referendum to approve the constitution. Israel currently operates without a formal written constitution, relying instead on a series of Basic Laws.

His sixth and final condition involves adopting a new security doctrine for Israel. He advocates shifting from the principle of "land for peace" to a policy of preemptive strikes and decisive action. He also calls for establishing a missile corps as the IDF's primary strike force for the future.

The statement comes amid reports of various contacts within the opposition ahead of anticipated elections. Lieberman has drawn a clear line, making plain he will not cooperate with different coalition configurations unless a government accepts all his conditions. His party, which represents primarily Russian-speaking immigrants and secular Israelis, has historically championed separation of religion and state and opposed exemptions from military service.