Coalition Deadlock: Lieberman Goes Silent as Israel Seeks Unity Deal

Avigdor Lieberman has stopped returning calls from key political rivals as Israeli parties struggle to form a government following Tuesday's election. The former prime minister, now leading the opposition, is keeping a low profile while coalition negotiations begin.

Channel 12 reported on Wednesday that Lieberman is not speaking with Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Yashar party, or Naftali Bennett, leader of B'Yachad. His silence comes as the country faces a parliamentary deadlock. Preliminary results from the 27 October vote show that neither Netanyahu's outgoing bloc nor the Zionist opposition has secured the 61 seats needed for a majority.

The stalemate is partly due to the strength of the Palestinian-led parties, which are projected to win a record 19 seats. These parties have stated they will support a minority government led by the opposition to prevent Netanyahu from returning to power. However, Lieberman and other leading opposition figures have rejected the idea of governing alongside Arab parties.

One proposed solution is a national unity government that shares power between Netanyahu and the main opposition parties. This arrangement aims to avoid a second election. According to Channel 12, Lieberman does not want to be the first to move toward this compromise. He is reportedly waiting for Eisenkot to make the initial step.

The report describes Lieberman's current strategy as lying in wait. He has used a similar tactic in the past. After the 2009 election, he took a week-long holiday while coalition talks continued. He eventually joined the government as deputy prime minister and foreign minister.

Lieberman's public statements have narrowed his options. He has ruled out supporting a temporary minority government with Arab parties. He has also declared he will not join a government led by Netanyahu. He remains open to a national unity deal that includes the Likud party, provided Netanyahu is not part of the cabinet.

Negotiations continue as parties attempt to bridge the gap between the 61-seat requirement and the current seat distribution. The Yisrael Beitenu party is projected to win seven seats, giving Lieberman a small but potentially influential role in the talks.