Avigdor Lieberman, Chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu, has been offered the Defence Ministry and the Immigrant Absorption Ministry as part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s efforts to expand the Israeli coalition government, it has been announced.
Mr Netanyahu informed cabinet ministers of the offer this afternoon, following a meeting with Mr Lieberman.
Mr Lieberman said at a press conference in the Knesset this morning that Yisrael Beiteinu had been offered a place in the government “before the present government was formed” but had rejected these offers on principle. He added: "If our main issues are resolved, then we could talk."
There had previously been reports that Yisrael Beiteinu had been offered the defence portfolio, the immigrant absorption portfolio, or the passage of a law allowing the death penalty for terrorists, but Mr Liberman said: “In practice, we have not heard anything official."
