Opposition Knesset member calls Judicial Selection Committee vote ‘one big show’

In a post to social media on Saturday morning, opposition Knesset Member Avigdor Liberman, head of the Yisrael Beytenu party, said that the political turbulence of last week’s Judicial Selection Committee vote was “one big show.”

In his post, Liberman said he spoke with “a number of very senior members of the Likud” in the days after the vote and that they told him the vote for opposition representative Karine Elharrar was coordinated ahead of time.

Liberman also claimed that Shas party Knesset members in the coalition were the ones who voted for Elharrar and that they did so with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s knowledge.

Liberman alleged that opposition leaders Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid wanted to demonstrate an “achievement” for the opposition, while Netanyahu is interested in “freezing” the judicial reforms in order to gain favor with the United States.

“The interest of Lapid and Gantz is to show ‘an achievement’ in the Knesset vote; Netanyahu’s interest is to freeze the coup d'état so he can go to Washington and soften the protests; and Deri’s interest is to continue the talks at the President’s Residence to pave his way to the government,” Liberman posted on Twitter.

Shas leader Aryeh Deri was dismissed by Netanyahu in January after the High Court ruled that his appointment as minister violated his plea bargain to resolve charges of corruption.

Liberman also said Gantz and Lapid's announcement that the opposition will not meet for judicial reform negotiations until the Judicial Selection Committee is finalized “is all a bluff.”

“Gantz and Lapid raised a white flag and did a liquidation sale of the liberal public in the State of Israel,” Liberman said, accusing the politicians of making a deal.

Last week, Liberman claimed that during negotiations for the Judicial Selection Committee, the opposition representatives had agreed to a deal that would allow Deri to return to ministerial office.

Following Liberman’s comments last week, Gantz denied that the opposition had made any deal.

Speaking at a meeting for his National Unity Party, Gantz said, “I don’t know of any deal.”

He also said, “I don’t know what Liberman based his remarks on.”