News / Palestine

Lieberman’s party agrees to join Israeli ruling coalition

Wednesday, 25 May 2016 9:39 AM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 25 May 2016 10:01 AM ]

Extremist Israeli politician Avigdor Lieberman talks to the press in al-Quds (Jerusalem), May 23, 2016. (Photo by AFP)

The party of extremist Israeli politician Avigdor Lieberman will now join the ruling coalition of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu under an agreement between the two.

Lieberman’s spokesman Tzachi Moshe said on Wednesday that Yisrael Beitenu party, headed by Lieberman, and Netanyahu’s conservative Likud would sign the deal at 11 a.m. local time (0800 GMT) on Wednesday.

Lieberman had reportedly earlier accepted an offer by Netanyahu to become the minister of military affairs.

Netanyahu had summoned Lieberman’s predecessor Moshe Ya’alon and reproached him over supporting an analogy between Israel’s situation and Nazi Germany.

Ya’alon then officially resigned both from the cabinet and the Knesset (parliament), citing “lack of trust” in the premier. He also said Israel and the ruling Likud Party was taken over by “dangerous and radical officials.”

On May 20, Israel’s former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak described the removal of Ya’alon and his replacement with Lieberman as a “purge” and said it “should be a red light for all of us regarding what's going on in the administration.”

“This administration needs to be brought down before it brings all of us down,” the former Israeli prime minister said, adding that foreign officials he speaks to are no longer supportive of Israel.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk