Avigdor Liberman
Leader of Yisrael Beiteinu; former Foreign, Defence and Finance Minister · Yisrael Beiteinu
4 changes of mind on record, 2013–2026
How this works
Each change shows what they said then and what they said later, in their own words, dated, with the source.
Every quote is checked word for word against a saved copy of its source. Translations are labelled.
The short labels on each line are our summaries.
At a glance
- Netanyahu as prime minister Backs Netanyahu in officeNetanyahu must not serve Jan 2013Feb 2018Sept 2026
- Governing with Arab parties The Joint List is the enemyAbbas is a coalition colleagueNo Arab parties in government Sept 2019May 2022Sept 2025
- A Palestinian state Two states, with swapsNo Palestinian state Feb 2014Feb 2024
- The Supreme Court and the Knesset Backs the PM’s court planReform, but not this oneObey only the Supreme Court Apr 2018Jan 2023Mar 2023
first said said otherwise
Netanyahu as prime minister
Then
Backs Netanyahu in office
After the 2013 election, he says the aim is to secure Netanyahu's continued rule.
"שתי המשימות שלנו הושגו: נבטיח את המשך שלטון המחנה הלאומי ונבטיח את המשך שלטונו של ראש הממשלה נתניהו."
Our translation Our two missions have been achieved: we will ensure the continued rule of the national camp and we will ensure the continued rule of Prime Minister Netanyahu.
5 years later
Later
Backs Netanyahu in office
As defence minister, amid police investigations of Netanyahu, he says a prime minister's term ends only on a final conviction, and recommends calm.
"החוק קובע שכהונת ראש ממשלה תיפסק רק עם הרשעה בפסק דין סופי."
Our translation The law says a prime minister's term ends only with a conviction in a final judgment.
8 years, 7 months later
Latest
Netanyahu must not serve
He says Netanyahu is responsible for the 7 October massacre and that Israel stays in existential danger as long as he serves.
"נתניהו הוא האחראי לטבח! כל עוד הוא יכהן, ישראל תישאר בסכנה קיומית."
Our translation Netanyahu is the one responsible for the massacre! As long as he serves, Israel will remain in existential danger.
Context: Liberman was foreign minister in Netanyahu's governments from 2009, ran a joint list with Likud in 2013, was defence minister 2016-2018, and later sat in the government that replaced Netanyahu in 2021.
Governing with Arab parties
Then
The Joint List is the enemy
On the eve of the 2019 coalition talks he calls the Joint List, then including Ra'am, an enemy and says he will be on the other side of wherever they are.
"לגבי הרשימה המשותפת, הם בפירוש אויב. איפה שהם יהיו - אנחנו נהיה בצד השני"
Our translation As for the Joint List, they are plainly an enemy. Wherever they are, we will be on the other side.
Source ליברמן: "לא ממליצים על אף אחד, הרשימה המשותפת - אויבים" (ynet) (as reported by ynet.co.il)
2 years, 7 months later
Later
Abbas is a coalition colleague
As finance minister in a coalition that includes Ra'am, he praises its leader Mansour Abbas for saying on camera that Israel is a Jewish state.
"לראשונה יש לנו מנהיג שמתייצב מול המצלמות, לא בחדר סגור, אומר שישראל מדינה יהודית ותישאר מדינה יהודית."
Our translation For the first time we have a leader who stands in front of the cameras, not in a closed room, and says that Israel is a Jewish state and will remain a Jewish state.
Source ליברמן: עבאס - המנהיג הערבי הראשון שאומר מול מצלמות שישראל מדינה יהודית (ynet) (as reported by ynet.co.il)
3 years, 4 months later
Latest
No Arab parties in government
Ahead of the next election he says he will not sit with Ra'am and will form a Zionist government without Arab parties.
"נקים ממשלה ציונית, בלי מפלגות ערביות"
Our translation We will form a Zionist government, without Arab parties.
Source ליברמן בהצהרה שתכריע את הבחירות הבאות (סרוגים, 'פגוש את העיתונות') (as reported by srugim.co.il)
Context: Liberman was finance minister in the 2021-2022 Bennett-Lapid government, which relied on Ra'am.
A Palestinian state
Then
Two states, with swaps
He supports Netanyahu's Bar-Ilan speech and a two-states-for-two-peoples settlement, with land and population swaps.
"אני אמרתי שאני תומך בנאום בר אילן ובהסדר שתי מדינות לשני עמים, רק שהגישה שלי כוללת חילופי שטחים וחילופי אוכלוסיות כדי ליצור שתי מדינות יותר הומוגניות"
Our translation I have said that I support the Bar-Ilan speech and a settlement of two states for two peoples, only my approach includes exchanges of territory and exchanges of populations in order to create two more homogeneous states
Source ליברמן מבהיר: לא השתנתי, הדברים נאמרו בעבר (nrg מעריב) (as reported by makorrishon.co.il)
10 years later
Later
No Palestinian state
Thirty years since Oslo have shown that a Palestinian state is a shattered dream that cannot be restored.
"לפני למעלה מ-30 שנה מדינת ישראל חתמה על הסכמי אוסלו. הנסיון שצברנו מאז מוכיח שהקמת מדינה פלסטינית זה ״חלום״ שהתנפץ לרסיסים ולא ניתן לשיחזור ושיקום."
Our translation More than 30 years ago the State of Israel signed the Oslo Accords. The experience we have gained since then proves that establishing a Palestinian state is a 'dream' that has shattered to pieces and cannot be restored or rebuilt.
Context: The first statement was made on Army Radio while he was foreign minister, during the US-led negotiations of 2013–2014. Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, four months before the second.
The Supreme Court and the Knesset
Then
Backs the PM’s court plan
As defence minister, he backs the Prime Minister's plan to change the relationship between the Supreme Court and the Knesset.
"מגבה את ראש הממשלה בתכניתו לערוך שינוי ביחסים בין בית המשפט העליון והכנסת."
Our translation I back the Prime Minister in his plan to make a change in the relations between the Supreme Court and the Knesset.
4 years, 9 months later
Later
Reform, but not this one
In opposition, he says his party supports changes in the justice system but not the Netanyahu–Levin plan, and favours a constitution, a constitutional court and an override by 70 MKs.
"מאז הקמתה, ישראל ביתנו, דוגלת בקבלת חוקה, בהקמת בית משפט לחוקה ובפסקת התגברות ברוב של 70 חברי כנסת."
Our translation Since its founding, Yisrael Beytenu has advocated adopting a constitution, setting up a constitutional court and an override clause by a majority of 70 Knesset members.
1 month later
Latest
Obey only the Supreme Court
As the Netanyahu government's judicial bills advance, he says that in a constitutional crisis he expects all state institutions to obey only the Supreme Court's rulings.
"במידה ונגיע למשבר חוקתי, אני מצפה מכל המוסדות הרשמיים, הממלכתיים והעומדים בראשם, לציית אך ורק לפסיקות של בית המשפט העליון."
Our translation If we reach a constitutional crisis, I expect all the official, state institutions and those who head them to obey only the rulings of the Supreme Court.
Context: In April 2018 the Netanyahu government, in which Liberman was defence minister, proposed an override of High Court rulings; the 2023 statements answer the Levin judicial plan.