This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/20/israel-defence-minister-moshe-yaalon-quits-rift-binyamin-netanyahu

The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Israel's defence minister quits over rift with Binyamin Netanyahu Israel's defence minister quits over rift with Binyamin Netanyahu
(about 1 hour later)
Israel’s defence minister has announced his resignation, delivering a stinging rebuke to the prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, whom he said he no longer had “faith in”.Israel’s defence minister has announced his resignation, delivering a stinging rebuke to the prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, whom he said he no longer had “faith in”.
The departure of the former defence chief Moshe Yaalon came after Netanyahu, with whom he had recently clashed, invited the hawkish ultranationalist Avigdor Lieberman to replace Yaalon as part of moves to widen his fragile coalition.The departure of the former defence chief Moshe Yaalon came after Netanyahu, with whom he had recently clashed, invited the hawkish ultranationalist Avigdor Lieberman to replace Yaalon as part of moves to widen his fragile coalition.
Before Yaalon resigned there had been speculation that Netanyahu planned to offer him the post of foreign minister, one of several cabinet positions currently occupied by Netanyahu. Before Yaalon resigned there had been speculation that Netanyahu planned to offer him the post of foreign minister, one of several cabinet positions occupied by Netanyahu.
Yaalon’s departure came as snap polls suggested Israelis preferred Yaalon to Lieberman as defence minister by a wide margin. A poll aired by Israel’s Channel 10 television on Thursday found that 51% of Israeli Jews saw Yaalon as best suited for defence minister, while 27% preferred Lieberman. Yaalon’s departure came as snap polls suggested Israelis preferred Yaalon to Lieberman as defence minister by a wide margin. A poll aired by Israel’s Channel 10 television on Thursday found that 51% of Israeli Jews believed Yaalon to be best suited for defence minister, while 27% preferred Lieberman.
Related: Israeli PM asks Avigdor Lieberman to be defence minister in shock moveRelated: Israeli PM asks Avigdor Lieberman to be defence minister in shock move
Two other polls showed similar responses.Two other polls showed similar responses.
Yaalon’s exit could put a new dent in domestic and western confidence in the Netanyahu government. Yaalon’s exit could put a fresh dent in domestic and western confidence in the Netanyahu government.
Already the Palestinian Foreign Ministry has issued a statement criticising the expected appointment of Lieberman, and declaring that Netanyahu is turning his government into the most extreme one in Israel’s history. The Palestinian foreign ministry has issued a statement criticising the expected appointment of Lieberman, declaring that Netanyahu is turning his government into the most extreme administration in Israel’s history.
A former chief of Israel’s armed forces, Yaalon had shored up relations with the Pentagon, providing a counter-weight to Netanyahu’s policy feuds with Barack Obama over peace talks with the Palestinians and Iran’s nuclear programme.A former chief of Israel’s armed forces, Yaalon had shored up relations with the Pentagon, providing a counter-weight to Netanyahu’s policy feuds with Barack Obama over peace talks with the Palestinians and Iran’s nuclear programme.
His resignation comes ahead of the completion of negotiations between Netanyahu and Lieberman to bring the latter’s hard-right Yisrael Beiteinu party out of opposition and into government.His resignation comes ahead of the completion of negotiations between Netanyahu and Lieberman to bring the latter’s hard-right Yisrael Beiteinu party out of opposition and into government.
Although Netanyahu’s office has said Lieberman would be “pragmatic and moderate” there has been little evidence of that in his political career. Although Netanyahu’s office has said Lieberman would be “pragmatic and moderate”, there has been little evidence of that in his political career. Indeed, a key demand of Lieberman – in addition to cabinet seats – is that Netanyahu commit to new legislation to introduce the death penalty for terrorism.
Indeed a key demand of Lieberman – in addition to cabinet seats – is that Netanyahu commit to new legislation to introduce the death penalty for terrorism. The expected appointment of Lieberman, an outspoken and hawkish rightwinger who has called Israeli Arab lawmakers “traitors”, has drawn widespread criticism, including from Netanyahu supporters including former cabinet minister Benny Begin.
The expected appointment of Lieberman, an outspoken and hawkish rightwinger who has called Israeli Arab lawmakers “traitors”, has drawn widespread criticism, including from Netanyahu supporters such as the former cabinet minister Benny Begin.
Over several days of high political drama, Netanyahu ditched months-long negotiations with Isaac Herzog, the centrist leader of the opposition, to woo Lieberman.Over several days of high political drama, Netanyahu ditched months-long negotiations with Isaac Herzog, the centrist leader of the opposition, to woo Lieberman.
The stark differences between the two politicians led Israeli commentators to suggest that Netanyahu’s interests were driven by his desire to prolong his time in office rather than any concrete policies.The stark differences between the two politicians led Israeli commentators to suggest that Netanyahu’s interests were driven by his desire to prolong his time in office rather than any concrete policies.
The inclusion of Lieberman’s Yisrael Beitenu party in the coalition, which has also yet to be confirmed, would give Netanyahu’s Likud party control over 67 of parliament’s 120 seats, up from the current razor-thin majority of 61.The inclusion of Lieberman’s Yisrael Beitenu party in the coalition, which has also yet to be confirmed, would give Netanyahu’s Likud party control over 67 of parliament’s 120 seats, up from the current razor-thin majority of 61.
In a furious social media post, Yaalon said he had told Netanyahu on Friday that “following his conduct in recent developments and in light of the lack of trust in him, I am resigning from the government and the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) and taking a time out from political life”.In a furious social media post, Yaalon said he had told Netanyahu on Friday that “following his conduct in recent developments and in light of the lack of trust in him, I am resigning from the government and the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) and taking a time out from political life”.
Lieberman, 57, is one of the country’s most polarising politicians. Over three decades, he has at times been Netanyahu’s closest ally and other times a fierce rival.Lieberman, 57, is one of the country’s most polarising politicians. Over three decades, he has at times been Netanyahu’s closest ally and other times a fierce rival.
Yaalon had been at loggerheads with Netanyahu over his insistence that senior officers be encouraged to “speak their mind”.Yaalon had been at loggerheads with Netanyahu over his insistence that senior officers be encouraged to “speak their mind”.
The two had clashed in recent weeks both over the defence minister’s backing for embattled IDF deputy chief Yair Golan, who had compared some traits in Israeli society to Europe in the 1930s in a controversial speech and over Netanyahu’s support for a soldier who killed a Palestinian knife attacker after he was lying severely wounded and posing no threat. The two had clashed in recent weeks both over the defence minister’s backing for the embattled Israel Defence Forces deputy chief, Yair Golan, who had compared some traits in Israeli society to Europe in the 1930s in a controversial speech and over Netanyahu’s support for a soldier who killed a Palestinian knife attacker after he was lying severely wounded and posing no threat.
Reports said Netanyahu had been considering offering the retired lieutenant general for the foreign ministry as a consolation although the offer was never made. Reports said Netanyahu had been considering offering the retired lieutenant general the foreign ministry as a consolation although the offer was never made.