Gaza truce holds but Israeli minister’s resignation leaves government in turmoil

Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman resigned in protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ceasefire with Hamas and other Gaza factions, which came into effect yesterday.

Mr Lieberman told members of his nationalist party that he would step down, sparking a political crisis over what he called capitulation to Hamas.

He also condemned the government’s decision to send Qatari fuel into Gaza. His decision will take effect 48 hours after he puts it in writing.

“What we’re doing now as a state is buying short-term quiet, with the price being severe long-term damage to national security,” Mr Lieberman said.

Mr Netanyahu faced criticism from hard-right sections of his government and wider society after the truce was agreed to following the worst escalation in Gaza since the 2014 war between the military and Hamas, the territory’s rulers.

He rushed to defend his decision as residents in southern Israel protested against the ceasefire, with many clamouring for a new attack on the besieged strip to stop rocket fire.

The rockets were fired after a botched Israeli undercover operation that killed seven Palestinians and an Israeli officer.

The covert Israeli raid risked damaging Egyptian and UN mediation but after Israel launched air strikes and rockets were fired from Gaza on Sunday and Monday, the two sides agreed to an unspecified period of quiet.

“In times of emergency, when making decisions crucial to security, the public can’t always be privy to the considerations that must be hidden from the enemy,” Mr Netanyahu said.

“Our enemies begged for a ceasefire and they knew very well why.”

News of the ceasefire was greeted with celebrations in Gaza, with Hamas declaring victory over Israel in the latest round of violence.

But the Israeli military said it yesterday shot and captured a Palestinian who approached the Gaza perimeter fence and hurled grenades into Israel.

Mr Netanyahu could retain control of the defence portfolio, instead of giving it to another right-wing figure in his Cabinet, Education Minister Naftali Bennett.

But the prime minister will have a precarious one-seat majority in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament.

He has lost the five seats that belong to Mr Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu party, meaning that early elections are increasingly likely.