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

Yisrael Beytenu is a right-leaning, secular-liberal political party in Israel, founded in 1999 by Avigdor Liberman. Originally formed as a Likud splinter party to represent Russian-speaking immigrants, the party has since sought to broaden its appeal beyond its traditional base. Led by Liberman, Yisrael Beytenu positions itself as a potential bridge between right-leaning voters dissatisfied with both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the opposition parties.

In the 25th Knesset, the party held six seats and is currently projected to secure between eight to ten seats in the upcoming election. Liberman's political journey took him through various role, including Netanyahu's director-general before serving as defense, foreign, and finance minister under different governments. After resigning as defense minister in 2018 due to disagreement over a ceasefire with Hamas, Liberman deepened his rift with Netanyahu and ruled out joining any government led by him.

Liberman has advocated for a pragmatic right-wing approach, combining diplomatic flexibility with a tough stance on security. He emphasizes the need for decisive military outcomes against Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah, and opposes joining a government led by Netanyahu or coalitions with Arab parties. Yisrael Beytenu supports universal conscription, universal military service, and a secular approach to religion and state.

The party also backs legislation for the death penalty for terrorists and has advocated for separating religion and state.