Netanyahu dragging Israel into civil war ‘just to cling to power’: Opposition leader Liberman

Israeli opposition leader Avigdor Liberman warned Thursday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is dragging the country toward “civil war” in an effort to remain in power.

“The government (of Benjamin Netanyahu) is dragging the State of Israel into a civil war-just to cling to power for a few more days,” Liberman, chairman of the opposition Yisrael Beiteinu party, wrote on US social media company X.

His remarks came a day after thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews (Haredim) took part in vehicle convoys from 19 cities to Military Prison No. 10 in Kfar Yona to protest the detention of Haredi draft evaders.

Liberman, a former defense minister, posted a photo showing a police officer surrounded by a large crowd of Haredi protesters.

“The sights we saw yesterday are a national disgrace. A police officer begging for his life in front of a rioting mob is a direct result of the evasive government, which provides backing to evaders and erodes the rule of law,” he said.

Haredim make up about 13% of Israel’s population of more than 10 million and have long sought exemption from compulsory military service, arguing that they devote themselves to Torah study.

In June 2024, Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that Haredi men are subject to mandatory military service and ordered the suspension of state funding for religious institutions whose students refuse conscription.

Netanyahu reached understandings Tuesday with leaders of Haredi parties to delay a vote on dissolving the Knesset in exchange for advancing legislation they support, including a bill exempting Haredim from military service and preventing the arrest of draft evaders, according to Israeli media reports.

The opposition says Netanyahu is seeking to avoid early elections before the current Knesset’s term expires in October.