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Israeli opposition parties gleeful at Liberman resignation

Opposition party members called for further resignations following the defense minister’s announcement.

By World Israel News Staff

Opposition party members celebrated Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman’s announcement Wednesday that he was resigning his post.

Leader of the opposition and member of the Zionist Union Tzipi Livni said, “Liberman is right that the government revealed weakness against terror. Everyone errs who thinks the solution is with Liberman, Bennett or the rest of the slogan throwers. We’re the solution.”

Tamar Zandberg, head of the left-wing Meretz Party, said, “Blessed that we got rid of Liberman, a racist and corrupt minister who lowered Israeli politics. The rest of the government ministers need to go after him, to quit as well, to free us from a bad government, sick with corruption, racism and loyalty laws.”

Knesset Member Ayelet Nahmias-Verbin of the Zionist Union Party said: “Netanyahu and all this government should join the press conference. Eight months ago, the battle reopened in the south and the Cabinet simply abandoned the residents. Not one step – operational or civilian, whose meaning was we are in a war.

“But the Cabinet at the head of ‘Mr. Security’ [Netanyahu] and Minister ‘Security’ [Liberman] prefer to get into an argument in the middle of it and to compete for votes instead of finding diplomatic and security ways to return quite to the south. What a resounding government failure.”

MK Itzik Shmuli, also of the Zionist Union, said, “The Liberman resignation is a natural and desirable act given the disgraceful failure. Netanyahu, Bennett and the rest of the failing Cabinet ministers, who have  abandoned the south and our deterrence, need to do so as well.”

Liberman resigned in protest of Prime Minister’s Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to agree to a ceasefire deal after Hamas sent a wave of rockets at Israel. Lieberman had advocated for a more decisive blow against Hamas.

Hamas reaction

Hamas called the resignation of Israel’s defense minister a “political victory for Gaza.”

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said Avigdor Liberman’s resignation Wednesday marked “recognition of defeat and failure to confront the Palestinian resistance.”

“Gaza’s steadfastness sent a political shockwave” in Israel, he said.

Liberman’s resignation delivers a major blow to Israel’s ruling coalition and appears likely to spark early elections.

Associated Press contributed to this report.