Avigdor Lieberman

Avigdor Lieberman is the head of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, and is the current foreign minister in the government of Benjamin Netanyahu.

Lieberman was born in 1958 in Moldova. His birth name was Evet, but when he and his family immigrated to Israel in 1978, he changed his name to Avigdor. In Israel, he served in the Artillery Corps of the Israel Defense Forces, and later earned a B.A. in International Relations and Political Science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Lieberman was one of the founders of the Zionist Forum for Soviet Jewry. He has also been a member of the Board of the Jerusalem Economic Corporation, the Secretary of the Jerusalem branch of the Histadrut Ovdim Le'umit (national workers' union) and editor of the Yoman Yisraeli newspaper.

From 1993 to 1996, Lieberman served as Director-General of the Likud movement, and then as Director-General of the Prime Minister's Office from 1996 to 1997, during Benjamin Netanyahu’s first tenure as premier.

In 1999, Lieberman founded and became head of Yisrael Beiteinu, and was elected to the Knesset for the first time, when his party won four seats. During his initial stint in the Knesset, Lieberman served as a member of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and State Control Committee, and as Chairman of the Israel-Moldova Parliamentary Friendship League. In March of 2001, Lieberman was appointed Infrastructure Minister, but he resigned the post in March 2002. He was re-elected in January 2003 as part of a joint list with the far-right National Union, and received the transportation portfolio. In spring 2004 he was ousted from the cabinet by then-prime minister Ariel Sharon over his opposition to Sharon's plan to withdraw completely from Gaza.

In the 2006 national elections, Yisrael Beiteinu won 11 seats, and was initially in opposition. But after a few months, Lieberman and then-prime minister Ehud Olmert signed a coalition agreement under which Lieberman was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Strategic Affairs. The latter position was created specifically to focus on the Iranian regime and its nuclear aspirations. Even so, Lieberman once again left the government after disagreeing with Olmert’s “land-for-peace” policies vis-a-vis the Palestinians.

In the 2009 general elections, Yisrael Beiteinu continued its rise in prominence, winning 15 seats in parliament and becoming Israel’s third largest political party, behind Likud and Kadima, and ahead of the once powerful Labor. In March 2009, Lieberman was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs by Netanyahu.

Lieberman’s policies throughout the years, especially regarding a future peace solution with the Palestinians, have been controversial, and some comments about Arab Knesset members have also gained him notoriety. He has rejected previous peace formulas, such as land for peace, and has advocated transferring the Israeli Arab population to a Palestinian state, also known as the “Populated-Area Exchange Plan.” Despite being seen by many - both domestically and internationally - as an obstacle to peace, Lieberman has stated that he supports the idea of a future Palestinian state in principle. He also stated his willingness to move his wife and three children from their home in the settlement of Nokdim should Israel withdraw from the West Bank.

Lieberman has been questioned over allegations of corruption, which he has denied, and has recently been linked to an investigation into a corrupt Jerusalem building project. He has been accused of racist attitudes toward Arabs and of intolerance toward religious Jews.

Latest Stories on Avigdor Lieberman

Hillary Clinton Avigdor Lieberman - Reuters - 08022012

Lieberman and the visit to the grave of the Ribnitzer Rebbe

After his visit to Washington, during which he met with Secretary of State Clinton, the FM paid a visit to the grave of Chaim Zanvil Abramowitz in the town of Monsey, New York.

by Barak Ravid 6 comments

A softer, gentler Lieberman

The foreign minister showed an unusually diplomatic side during his visit to Washington this week.

by Natasha Mozgovaya 1 comments

Clinton Lieberman - AP - February 7, 2012

On U.S. visit, Israel's Lieberman thanks Clinton for resolute stand on Iran

WATCH: Avigdor Lieberman meets with Republican Senator John McCain, after thanking Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for U.S. support of Israel.

by Natasha Mozgovaya 26 comments

Behind the scenes of the conversation that catapulted the Israeli Minister to the Beijing Embassy

Weeks ago, between bites of burekas pastries and slices of cucumber and carrots, Home Front Defense Minister Matan Vilnai and Avigdor Lieberman joked about the former's next career move. Now, it's actually happening.

by Barak Ravid 2 comments

View All Latest Opinion on Avigdor Lieberman

Israel owes a great debt to Haaretz

I have no idea whether the newspaper is proud of me, but for the information of reader Netanyahu, I am so proud to write for Haaretz and so proud that Israel has Haaretz.

by Gideon Levy 71 comments

Cozying up to China, at the expense of Obama, Europe

Today, when the Netanyahu-Lieberman duo wants to get closer to China and India - closer at the expense of 'irrelevant' West - it is a lesson that should be remembered.

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Israel's winter of political emptiness

A new political species has arrived in Israel, the celebrity-politician, and this is bad news. It doesn't say much about them but it says a lot about us.

by Gideon Levy 0 comments

Justice Minister Yaakov Neemean, left, and his predescessor Daniel Friedmann - Tomer Appelbaum

Where is Sarale, where is Yankele

There is only one government creature worse that a political minister, and that is the apolitical minister, and the justice minister, Yaakov Neeman, is definitely one of those.

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