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Will Liberman save Israel’s democracy?

Whatever his motives, this coming September Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Liberman could secure his place in history as the politician who successfully saved Israel from extreme religiosity and separated a criminal suspect from the prime minister’s seat.
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The following comes with a bold font caution — it is only relevant to the time of its writing, i.e., the election campaign for the 22nd Knesset. The way things look now, Knesset member Avigdor Liberman might turn out to be the leader of a revolution on Israel’s political right. He is not suggesting any deviation from the conservative camp’s position on the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Nor has Liberman undergone “conversion therapy” to become a fan of Israel’s Arab or leftist citizens. He adheres to his aggressive approach to the conflict with the Palestinians and continues to support the settlement enterprise.

So what is his revolution about? Liberman is shaking the foundations of the decades-old alliance between Israel’s democratic, old-school right wing and the newer, fundamentalist pro-settlement right. At the same time, Liberman is aligning himself with the opposition Blue and White faction, whose central plank is removing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from office and distancing itself from the corruption charges dogging him.

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