"Don't do stupid things": Liberman addresses a number of politicians

Avigdor Liberman called on Hili Tropper, Yoaz Hendel, Gilad Erdan, Yulia Edelstein, and Benny Gantz to withdraw from the Knesset elections, warning of the risk of losing votes. He stated they had no chance and accused them of personal ambitions. Liberman also criticized Netanyahu, calling his alliance with Goldknopf and Deri an "alliance of draft dodgers" and the Likud "Haredi Lite."

Chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, Avigdor Liberman, on Tuesday, August 18, called on several politicians to withdraw from running independently in the Knesset elections. In an interview with radio station 103FM, he addressed Hili Tropper, Yoaz Hendel, Gilad Erdan, Yulia Edelstein, and Benny Gantz, stating that they had the opportunity to join existing parties, but now their independent run has no prospects. Liberman warned that the persistent desire of small parties to participate in the elections, despite the risk of failing to pass the electoral threshold, could lead to a critical loss of votes, and he attributed this to personal political ambitions. He emphasized that his party is open to cooperation: "We are open, we listen carefully, and I suggest they not do stupid things." Liberman also criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying he created an "alliance of draft dodgers" with United Torah Judaism chairman Yitzhak Goldknopf and Shas leader Aryeh Deri. He called the current Likud a "lite version of an ultra-Orthodox party" ("Haredi Lite") and suggested that Netanyahu formed the list knowing he would lose, and is interested in preventing opposition from forming within the faction against him.