This article is from the source 'bbc' 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 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-36340185
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Israel politics: Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon resigns in protest | Israel politics: Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon resigns in protest |
| (8 days later) | |
| Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon has resigned, warning that Israel has been taken over by "dangerous and extreme elements". | Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon has resigned, warning that Israel has been taken over by "dangerous and extreme elements". |
| It comes as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks to bring hardliner Avigdor Lieberman into the coalition, possibly as defence minister. | It comes as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks to bring hardliner Avigdor Lieberman into the coalition, possibly as defence minister. |
| The deal would shore up Mr Netanyahu's one-seat majority in parliament. | The deal would shore up Mr Netanyahu's one-seat majority in parliament. |
| Mr Lieberman has a reputation for inflammatory comments and takes a hawkish stand towards the Palestinians. | Mr Lieberman has a reputation for inflammatory comments and takes a hawkish stand towards the Palestinians. |
| If his five-seat Yisrael Beiteinu party joins the coalition, it will become the most right-wing in Israel's history. | |
| Announcing his decision on Twitter, Mr Yaalon said: "I informed the PM that after his conduct and recent developments, and given the lack of faith in him, I am resigning from the government and parliament and taking a break from political life." | Announcing his decision on Twitter, Mr Yaalon said: "I informed the PM that after his conduct and recent developments, and given the lack of faith in him, I am resigning from the government and parliament and taking a break from political life." |
| The two men had publicly disagreed after Mr Yaalon backed a senior military figure who had made controversial remarks about perceived extremist trends in Israeli society on Holocaust Day earlier this month. | The two men had publicly disagreed after Mr Yaalon backed a senior military figure who had made controversial remarks about perceived extremist trends in Israeli society on Holocaust Day earlier this month. |
| Right-wing political figures have also criticised Mr Yaalon for backing a decision to charge an Israeli soldier who killed a wounded Palestinian attacker in March, in a case which split opinion in Israel. | Right-wing political figures have also criticised Mr Yaalon for backing a decision to charge an Israeli soldier who killed a wounded Palestinian attacker in March, in a case which split opinion in Israel. |
| At a news conference on Friday, Mr Yaalon said: "I fought with all my might against manifestations of extremism, violence and racism in Israeli society, which are threatening its sturdiness and also trickling into the IDF [Israel Defence Forces], hurting it already," Haaretz newspaper reports. | At a news conference on Friday, Mr Yaalon said: "I fought with all my might against manifestations of extremism, violence and racism in Israeli society, which are threatening its sturdiness and also trickling into the IDF [Israel Defence Forces], hurting it already," Haaretz newspaper reports. |
| If Mr Lieberman's appointment is confirmed, it will mark a return to government for the controversial politician who stepped down in 2012 when he was investigated for breach of trust. He was charged and later acquitted. | If Mr Lieberman's appointment is confirmed, it will mark a return to government for the controversial politician who stepped down in 2012 when he was investigated for breach of trust. He was charged and later acquitted. |
| Moldovan-born Mr Lieberman, who lives in an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank, advocates a tough line towards dealing with the Palestinians, including the overthrow of Gaza's Hamas rulers. | Moldovan-born Mr Lieberman, who lives in an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank, advocates a tough line towards dealing with the Palestinians, including the overthrow of Gaza's Hamas rulers. |
| France recently announced it would host an international conference on 3 June to try to revive Israel-Palestinian peace talks, which collapsed amid acrimony in 2014. | France recently announced it would host an international conference on 3 June to try to revive Israel-Palestinian peace talks, which collapsed amid acrimony in 2014. |
| Correction 27 May 2016: The number of seats held by Yisrael Beiteinu has been changed to five, rather than six as stated in an earlier version. |