Israel Election 2026: What does Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beytenu stand for?

Yisrael Beytenu, led by Avigdor Liberman, is a right-wing Israeli political party founded in 1999, originally representing immigrants from the former Soviet Union. The party maintains a hawkish stance on security and national issues, advocating for a tougher approach against Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas, and supporting the death penalty for terrorists. However, it leans secular-liberal on matters of religion and state, pushing for civil marriage, public transportation on Shabbat, and increased Haredi enlistment. Liberman, a former protégé turned rival of Benjamin Netanyahu, has positioned Yisrael Beytenu as a "pragmatic Right" party, aiming to replace the current government and become prime minister. He has ruled out joining any government led by Netanyahu, as well as coalitions with Haredi or Arab parties, though he remains open to a Likud-led government without Netanyahu.