The ultra-Orthodox parties were furious, and they were disgusted. They reacted with derision to a statement by Foreign Minister and Alternative Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Nov. 8 that, “If any of the ultra-Orthodox parties is willing to accept the guiding principles of the current government, I will pressure Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman to allow them to join the coalition.”

It might seem like a gesture of goodwill, after they were exiled to the opposition benches with former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In fact, the ultra-Orthodox believe they are being played by Lapid and his ally, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.

However, the one person in government wielding the power in this issue is, in fact, Liberman. He embraced the fight against ultra-Orthodox politicians as an integral part of his party’s agenda, and he has no plans to change his mind. 

One of Liberman’s conditions for joining the coalition was that the ultra-Orthodox be kept out. The other members of the coalition agreed. Now, even after he succeeded in passing the budget, he insists that this condition be kept. In interviews over the weekend, Liberman lauded his own personal victory in passing the 2021-2022 budget. When asked what will happen to the ultra-Orthodox parties now, he brought up the clause in the coalition. “That’s one promise I don’t intend to break,” he continued.