Avigdor Lieberman, the right-wing former Israeli deputy prime minister, has issued a stark warning that Israel will cease to exist as a nation if the current coalition government remains in power until 2026.
The Yisrael Beiteinu party leader criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government for its handling of the Gaza war and its failure to prevent the Hamas-led attack on October 7, stating that these actions are steering Israel towards destruction.
In 2022, a Likud-led coalition came to power in Israel, but since the onset of the Gaza conflict, the country has been governed by a cross-party war cabinet. This fragile alliance includes far-right and centrist opposition parties.
Lieberman, a long-time critic of Netanyahu, told Israeli newspaper Maariv on Friday that the prime minister is driving Israel towards ruin, accusing him of being solely focused on maintaining power.
He blamed Netanyahu for the October 7 attack, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths, and accused him of bolstering Hamas over the years by releasing its leaders and members, including Yahya Sinwar, the group’s Gaza chief.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of 38,345 people, according to the Palestinian enclave’s health ministry.
Netanyahu has faced significant domestic criticism following the Gaza war’s outbreak, particularly since the surprise October 7 attack occurred under his leadership.
Internationally, there is mounting pressure for a ceasefire after more than ten months of fighting, with South Africa accusing Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Israel’s next parliamentary elections are scheduled to take place by October 2026.
