Israel defence minister resigns over Gaza truce
Hawkish Avigdor Lieberman’s exit pitches Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition into disarray
Jerusalem — Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman announced his resignation on Wednesday and called for early elections after a sharp disagreement over a Gaza ceasefire deal, throwing the government a curve ball. Lieberman also said his party was quitting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition, leaving the premier with only a one-seat majority in parliament. Elections are not due until November 2019, but Lieberman’s resignation increases the likelihood of an earlier vote. “What happened on Tuesday — the truce combined with the process with Hamas — is capitulating to terror,” Lieberman told journalists in explaining his reasons for resigning. “What we’re doing now as a state is buying short-term quiet, with the price being severe long-term damage to national security. “We should agree on a date for elections as early as possible,” he said later. Netanyahu has defended Tuesday’s ceasefire deal that ended the worst escalation between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza...
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