Former Minister of Finance, MK Avigdor Lieberman: "Netanyahu is preying on the Saudi story"/Flash 90, Yonatan Zindel
"Netanyahu is driven solely by two considerations: political survival and escaping responsibility. His political considerations come at the expense of the state, security and the abductees. The escape from responsibility concerns every area. With Netanyahu, everything is political and he does not care about the state," says former finance minister Avigdor Lieberman.
According to him, "Netanyahu has made us lepers in the world and has also harmed national resilience. There is a serious damage to the relationship with the US, on which we depend on the veto in the Security Council and security assistance.
It is irresponsible to sacrifice Israel's security interests for personal considerations.
Even if he wanted to retire, he is unable to because of family considerations and the need to stay at home with Sarah."
The former Finance Minister Shev emphasizes: "I have known him for decades.
As far as he and his family are concerned, the only thing that matters is the government and there is no other substitute for its existence."
In response to a question about how he interprets his conduct with the Americans and the Palestinians, he explains: "Meanwhile, he is also building an escape route for himself and is preying on the Saudi story.
He does not want to enter the historical legacy as being responsible for the biggest failure in Israel's history."
"But the price of a peace agreement with the Saudis will be Israeli consent to their nuclear program and consent to the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Netanyahu's opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state is from the outside.
In practice, he does not object because he pledged to the Saudis that he would find a way to a compromise.
He's good at it.
He already knew how to sell some wording like a new Middle East.
He can give a thousand explanations."
On Netanyahu: "From his point of view and from the point of view of his family, what is important is only the government"/Flash 90, Yonatan Zindel
Elections after the war
On the topic of the elections, he adds: "It is best that we go to the elections immediately after the end of the war. Netanyahu can drag it out for at most another year. The Americans also have an interest in ending the war as quickly as possible. We also have the limitations of the economy, the recruitment of reservists and attrition, for that as well There is a price."
Why didn't he agree to enter the government, to try and influence from within?
Well, according to him: "Netanyahu sent me messengers to join his government, but I made it clear right away. I am not interested in joining as a minister because there are already 38 ministers. I wanted to contribute to the war cabinet, but I explained that a second after the end of the government I would not be in the government. Netanyahu must go home."
Lieberman sharply criticizes the conscription law, but when asked why the conscription law was not promoted in the government of change, he answers: "When the government of change was established, we found scorched earth. There was a huge deficit in the economy, there was corona and also unemployment. We could not handle all the issues in a year and a half. The ideas On the subject of the conscription law, they are not relevant because of the war in Gaza, the attempt to come up with an outline with incentives is nonsense.
"We need one simple law: everyone at the age of 18 enlists either in the IDF or in civil service. If you ask me, then even seculars who are not qualified will be able to choose another service according to the military profile and the decisions of the selection in the BKOM.
Today there is a lack of auxiliary power in hospitals and nursing homes.
This is particularly relevant in the case of a flare-up in the north."
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"We need one simple law: everyone at the age of 18 enlists either in the IDF or in civil service"/Reuven Castro
Sponsorship fees for the ultra-Orthodox
Lieberman does not spare criticism of the 2024 budget either: Criticism of the 2024 budget: "I received the treasury with a deficit of NIS 144 billion and left this government with a surplus of NIS 10.6 billion. The money is wasted not only because of the war but because there is no security policy and no economic policy. The only policy is how We maintain the 64 coalition."
"We pay heavy sponsorship fees for the maintenance of the ultra-Orthodox parties, to Samtorich and Ben Gabir. There is no reserve in the current budget in case of a flare-up in the north."
"I don't understand why the issue of foreign workers is not being addressed, when about a quarter of a million workers are missing in agriculture, industry, hotels and construction. As you know, I came from Chisinau in Moldova and I am talking to the authorities there. They say that they are stuck because the government refuses to give them compensation in the event of a flare-up in the north."
And what does he think about Moody's credit rating downgrade?
"During my time as finance minister, we were actually faced with raising the credit rating and in the end it didn't happen. Moody's did us a favor, because in a few months - and assuming nothing changes - they will downgrade us another notch, and this could hurt the banks, who will be forced to raise money at a higher interest rate."
The full interview with MK Avigdor Lieberman will be published tomorrow (Friday) in the "Current Plus" column in Maariv
More on the same topic:
Avigdor Lieberman
Benjamin Netanyahu
the state budget