Lieberman: Our goal is to prevent Netanyahu’s return to premiership

Israeli Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman said yesterday that the coalition is to include legislation to prevent MKs charged with serious crimes from becoming prime ministers alongside the bill to dissolve the Knesset, Israeli media reported.

MK Yevgeny Soba of Liberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu party is spearheading the bill which is support by Gideon Sa’ar of the New Hope party along with others.

If passed, the Times of Israel said, the bill would prevent opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu from being able to form a government.

On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said they would ask the Knesset to dissolve itself because their government was out of function, triggering new elections.

Lieberman blamed Netanyahu, who is on trial in three graft cases including a charge of bribery, for the collapse of the government.

“These elections are the result of the intrigues, lies and harassment of one man, and his name is Benjamin Netanyahu,” Lieberman said. “The main goal is to prevent him from returning to power.”

“It would be possible [to form a lasting government] if not for one man that is concerned only about himself.”

Speaking at an economic conference, Lieberman added: “This political instability hurts society, the economy and our security.”

He declared that his party’s primary goal in the upcoming elections is to keep Netanyahu from returning to the premiership.

“Yisrael Beiteinu‘s main goal in this election is to prevent Benjamin Netanyahu from returning to power,” he stressed.

Netanyahu served as prime minister of Israel for 15 years, making him the occupation state’s longest-serving politician in that office.

READ: Israel faces fifth election in less than four years