Moments after he ended his press conference at the Knesset Nov. 20, in which he railed against the ultra-Orthodox parties, Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Liberman strode from the faction’s room to his office, smiling ear to ear. “So, are all the ultra-Orthodox already uniting against me?” he asked me defiantly. This statement points to the change in his strategic political direction in the last year. After he chose to go all the way on the issue of religion and state that was the cause for the April election, and prevented the formation of a right-ultra-Orthodox government after that election as well as after the September election, Liberman continues to harden his tone toward the ultra-Orthodox.

His press conference angered many, when he tied the ultra-Orthodox parties (Shas and Yahadut HaTorah) with the Joint List, which represents Israeli Arabs. "This is an anti-Zionist coalition that plays between the two blocs,” he said. “We should say it as it is — the Joint List is really a fifth column. But unfortunately, the Haredi [ultra-Orthodox] parties are also becoming more and more anti-Zionist.”

Later, he spoke about yeshiva students and said that 150,000 study in yeshivas instead of working. In his view, there is no need for more than 1,500 students for whom the Torah is their trade, and all the rest should work. “Studying the Torah is a blessing but they should do it on their own dime. We can’t bring up a generation of needy unfortunates here,” he argued.

The expression “anti-Zionist” and the connection to the Arab Knesset members was one step too far for the ultra-Orthodox Knesset members, and shortly after Liberman stopped speaking, Yahadut HaTorah called an urgent meeting. “A shameful and ugly horror show … full of ignorance and hatred,” Deputy Minister of Health Yaakov Litzman characterized Liberman’s speech. “Anti-Semitism has been rediscovered today.” His colleague Knesset member Moshe Gafni added, “Liberman must leave the political establishment. We don’t recall such anti-Semitism in the Israeli Knesset … in another country this man would go to jail. Does this corrupt man know what we do? Who are you? Zero.”