Liberman Denies Reported Conscription and Cabinet Deal With United Torah Judaism

Avigdor Liberman’s office denied an account published Sunday evening of emerging understandings with United Torah Judaism over conscription enforcement and cabinet portfolios. The proposed arrangement was reported as part of efforts to bring the Haredi party into a coalition seeking to replace Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Liberman leads Yisrael Beytenu. Under the reported terms, legislation would immediately halt arrests of Haredi men absent from military service. A special committee would reconsider military and civilian service across all population groups, with the aim of reaching an agreed framework to replace the existing legislation. These were reported negotiating terms; Liberman’s office dismissed the account as untrue. United Torah Judaism would reportedly receive the Construction and Housing Ministry and the Interior Ministry under the arrangement. The account also said political disagreements within the bloc seeking to replace Netanyahu had interrupted negotiations during the weekend, leaving Liberman’s negotiating team and the Haredi teams without formal contact. Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s aides were reportedly working to arrange urgent direct conversations and meetings with United Torah Judaism’s rabbinic leadership. Those efforts were described as an attempt to prevent the party from joining a rival coalition.