Netanyahu Appoints Avigdor Lieberman, an Extremist Politician, as Defense Minister

Avigdor Lieberman, leader of a far-right party in Israel, announced that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has offered him the position of Defense Minister in the government. This selection has faced severe criticism from opposition leaders. The Jerusalem Post reported on Thursday, May 30, that Netanyahu's proposal to Lieberman for the Defense Ministry comes amid 'dramatic developments' in the coalition government. Lieberman, leader of the 'Israel, Our Home' party, stated after a meeting with Netanyahu on Wednesday, May 29, that Netanyahu is willing to give him the Defense Minister position and include his party in the government coalition. Lieberman had been in the opposition since the elections 14 months ago. However, he mentioned in a press conference on Wednesday that his party demands conditions for cooperation with the government, such as 'executions of terrorists' and 'the destruction of Hamas in Gaza.' Following this press conference, Netanyahu's office announced that he had been invited to meet with the Prime Minister. Both politicians confirmed that after this 'fruitful meeting,' negotiations between the Likud and 'Israel, Our Home' parties would continue in the coming days to allocate other ministerial positions to politicians from this right-wing party. Likud politicians told Israeli media that Netanyahu would give the Foreign Minister position, which is being taken from General Moshe Ya'alon, to Ya'alon; however, Ya'alon's office stated that no such proposal has been discussed with him yet. The current Netanyahu government has not had a Foreign Minister for the past 14 months, as he has overseen the ministry himself to be able to allocate it to politicians joining the government coalition. However, Israeli media emphasized that Netanyahu has effectively ousted Ya'alon from the Defense Minister position. Netanyahu summoned and reprimanded Ya'alon on Sunday; Ya'alon had stated last week that military personnel have the right to express their views, even if these views contradict the government's policies and perspectives. Ya'alon's remarks were seen as a renewed endorsement of recent comments made by General Yair Golan, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army. General Golan had stated two weeks ago at a Holocaust memorial ceremony that there are signs of the Israeli society becoming more extremist, similar to what was seen eighty to ninety years ago in Germany, which led to the rise of the Nazis, and 'this situation worries him more than anything else regarding Israel.' Netanyahu expressed severe dissatisfaction with Golan's comments. Meanwhile, Jewish and Arab opposition leaders in Israel have strongly criticized the coalition being formed between Netanyahu and Lieberman, calling the appointment of one of the most extremist political figures in Israel to the Defense Ministry 'extremely harmful to Israel's security.'