As per the demand made by incoming Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman in order to join the government coalition, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to implement the death penalty for terrorists.

According to a report on Israel’s Channel 10, the death penalty for terrorists was a condition set by Liberman in order to bring his Israel Beyteinu party into the government coalition.

Liberman, who replaces Moshe Ya’alon as defense minister, met privately with the Israeli leader on Wednesday at the Prime Minister’s Office, where he was offered the Defense Ministry portfolio as well as that of the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption (Aliyah).

In fact, another reform Liberman hopes to achieve is legislation providing government pensions to immigrants who have not been living in Israel long enough to get a full pension, which Netanyahu has said he would back.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman (Photo: MFA)

“If we can correct this issue and ensure that immigrants will get pensions, this will be a major accomplishment. It will bring national recognition to the status of immigrants and to the Russian-speaking population in Israel,” Liberman, whose party consists mainly of immigrants from the Former Soviet Union, said on Thursday.

Palestinian Leadership Slams Liberman Appointment

The Palestinian Authority (PA) issued a press statement on Thursday slamming Liberman’s appointment, saying it demonstrates the Israeli government’s socalled extremist agenda to maintain the “occupation” instead of pursuing peace negotiations. Netanyahu has invited PA leader Mahmoud Abbas repeatedly to the negotiating table, but to no avail.

By: Terri Nir, United with Israel