Israel on brink of early elections as minister resigns over Hamas deal

JERUSALEM ISRAEL appeared to be hurtling towards early elections yesterday after the defence minister resigned and accused Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, of “surrendering to terror” by agreeing a truce with Hamas.

The resignation of Avigdor Lieberman, a hawkish member of Mr Netanyahu’s coalition, leaves the government with just a one-seat majority that could collapse if other parties also quit.

Mr Netanyahu’s allies said he planned to take over the defence ministry himself, meaning he would simultaneously serve as Israel’s premier, defence minister, foreign minister and health minister.

However, Naftali Bennett, leader of the Right-wing Jewish Home party, demanded the defence job for himself and threatened to bring down the government if he was not given the post.

A day of high political drama began when Mr Lieberman resigned yesterday afternoon over Mr Netanyahu’s decision to accept a ceasefire with Hamas after 24 hours of intense fighting.

Mr Lieberman said the Israeli government should confront the Islamist militant group more forcefully, even if it meant suffering more rocket fire into Israeli cities. He heads Yisrael Beiteinu, a secular Right-wing party which draws its support mainly from Israel’s Russian population.

“What happened yesterday – the truce combined with the process with Hamas – is surrendering to terror,” Mr Lieberman said. “What we’re doing now as a state is buying short-term quiet, with the price being severe longterm damage to national security.” He then withdrew his five Yisrael Beiteinu MPS from Mr Netanyahu’s coalition, which now has only 61 seats in the 120-member parliament. Mr Lieberman also called for early elections.

Mr Netanyahu had been bracing for attacks from the Right since agreeing to an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire deal on Tuesday, ending the fighting which left one person dead in Israel and seven dead in Gaza.

Residents of the southern city of Sderot burnt tyres and blocked the streets in protest at the deal, saying that Israel was being held hostage by Hamas.

Speaking prior to Mr Lieberman’s resignation, Mr Netanyahu said: “I hear the voices of the residents of the south. Believe me, they are precious to me, their words penetrate my heart.

“But together with the heads of the security forces, I see the overall picture of Israel’s security, which I cannot share with the public.”

Allies in his Likud party said he planned to take over the defence job and keep the coalition government standing for at least several months.

However, within hours that plan was looking shaky as Mr Bennett, who is the education minister, presented the prime minister with his ultimatum.

It was not clear last night which option Mr Netanyahu would choose or whether he would try to call his junior coalition partner’s bluff.

Elections must happen by November 2019, but most Israeli politicians expected that Mr Netanyahu would call them in the spring.

Opinion polls have shown that Likud would win an election, despite an ongoing corruption scandal swirling around the prime minister and his wife.