Likud attacks Liberman: "Talks right, acts left"

The Likud party launched a sharp attack Thursday on Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Liberman, after he declared he would not support a minority government, even as a transitional arrangement, and would refuse to sit in any government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu.

In a statement, Likud said: "Liberman, who formed a government with Mansour Abbas and as finance minister transferred 53 billion shekels to Islamic organizations that supported Hamas, will do it again. Once again he talks right and acts left. Eisenkot and Liberman have no government without Yair Golan and the Arab parties."

The remarks came in response to a statement Liberman published laying out his conditions for forming the next government, in which he made clear Yisrael Beiteinu would not join a coalition with either the chareidi or Arab parties.

"In recent days I have been asked many times about a national unity government. Our position is sharp and clear: we will form a coalition made up of Zionist parties only. Without Ra'am, without the Joint List, without Shas and without United Torah Judaism," Liberman declared.

He then addressed the possibility of cooperation with Likud, setting a firm condition: "Likud without Netanyahu can be a significant partner. With Netanyahu — the world can turn upside down and we will not sit under any circumstances."

Liberman also sought to clarify that his party would not enable the formation of a minority government as a temporary solution after the elections. "We will not support any minority government, not even a minority government for a transitional period," he said.

Despite the polls, he expressed confidence in the possibility of forming a coalition without Netanyahu, and even claimed there are Likud MKs who might join such a move.

"I believe we will reach a solid majority in the coming elections, despite the polls. And besides, I know several MKs from within Likud who understand the magnitude of the hour, understand that Bibi has turned them into subcontractors for Goldknopf and Deri, and therefore will be ready to complete the count and join a Zionist coalition."