Avigdor Lieberman shifts stance, seeks conscription compromise with Haredi parties

Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman, who previously vowed no compromise with Haredi parties on military conscription, is now exploring a consensual framework. He requested MK Boaz Bismuth's draft law and plans meetings with legal and IDF representatives.

Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Liberman requested from the legal counsel of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee the latest draft of the conscription law by MK Boaz Bismut, which has not yet been distributed. This is the same law that Liberman himself previously called a 'conscription bluff'. Now he seeks to receive it along with the legal counsel's comments, in order to hold discussions based on it with the Haredi parties and prepare the law for advancement. The move comes against the backdrop of Liberman's previous promises on the conscription issue, and raises questions about his current stance. It appears that Liberman is trying to present the Haredim with a version that includes the legal counsel's comments, after the law reached advanced stages but did not gain their consent. This suggests that Liberman may be retreating from his promises in an attempt to advance precisely the law he defined as a 'conscription bluff'.