AVIGDOR LIEBERMAN

Israel’s defence minister quits after Gaza ceasefire, government in turmoil

1 Lieberman resigned on Wednesday and called for early elections after a disagreement over a Gaza ceasefire deal. His move to take his party out of Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition leaves the Israeli PM with a slender one-seat majority in Parliament

2 Lieberman heads the Yisrael Beitenu party, which holds five seats in the 120-seat Knesset. “The truce... is capitulating to terror. We’re buying short-term quiet,” he said

3 Elections were not due until November 2019, but Lieberman’s resignation has increased the likelihood of an earlier vote. Netanyahu will now take over the defence portfolio.