Liberman and Golan back Eisenkot for prime minister; Liberman: 'I will not sit with Netanyahu'

Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman said Monday his party will recommend Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot to President Isaac Herzog as the candidate to form Israel's next government, and will back Yair Lapid of B'Yachad for Knesset speaker. Hours later, Yair Golan's The Democrats party said it would also recommend Eisenkot, The Jerusalem Post and i24NEWS report.

Liberman ruled out joining any government led by Benjamin Netanyahu, even in a rotation where Liberman would serve first. He also rejected a minority government propped up by the Arab parties, warning it would likely last less than a year and could bring Netanyahu back "with 70 seats." He said that starting next Tuesday his party will collect signatures to replace the current Knesset speaker, whom he called a "political commissar." At the same briefing he blamed Eisenkot for the opposition's weak showing, ynet reports.

Liberman also claimed the foreign entity suspected of funneling money to the Joint List was the Palestinian Authority, while saying there is no evidence the vote itself was rigged. He offered no supporting evidence for the PA claim.

The math is the problem: per The Jerusalem Post's count, Netanyahu's bloc holds 53 seats and the opposition 48, so neither side reaches 61 without the Arab parties. Herzog begins consultations with the parties Wednesday, i24NEWS reports, and the new Knesset is due to be sworn in Nov. 10.