Will Liberman be Israel's next Prime Minister? He certainly thinks so

Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Liberman declared his intention to run for Prime Minister during an interview with 103fm. When asked if he would be willing to let former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot lead the opposition camp, Liberman stated, "I very much appreciate Gadi Eisenkot but we are completely different both in our diplomatic-security approach and socially, certainly also with Lapid and with Benny Gantz."

Liberman emphasized that while everyone's political ambitions are legitimate, he plans to campaign on his own distinct worldview. "I have a coherent doctrine. I have credentials in both the security and economic fields," he said, highlighting his extensive experience in the political system. The Yisrael Beiteinu leader portrayed himself as uniquely prescient, claiming he was "the only one who warned not in hindsight, but in real time, about the misconception, about everything that happened on October 7."

Regarding the ongoing hostage negotiations, Liberman asserted that returning all hostages is both a value-based and security commitment for Israel. "We need to bring everyone back, that's our commitment both in terms of values and security," he stated firmly. He accused Prime Minister Netanyahu of deliberately delaying a deal for political purposes, claiming "the moment Netanyahu closes the deal, he has no government." According to Liberman, Netanyahu is attempting to stall until the budget passes within the next one to two weeks.

"Netanyahu's pattern of behavior is to drag out time," Liberman said. "From his perspective, there is a budget within a week or two and he wants to get through it. He cannot move without the Americans, he looks at them all the time and tries to align," he emphasized. Liberman also noted the urgent nature of the hostage situation, stating, "According to what we hear from the survivors, every day they are there they are in danger."

On the Iranian threat, Liberman took a firm stance during the interview, stating "we must stop the Iranian nuclear program." When asked whether Israel could exist under the threat of Iranian nuclear weapons, he responded with a definitive "no," suggesting this would be a key policy position in his potential premiership.