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Wed. 8:47 a.m.: Israeli defense minister resigns over Gaza cease-fire deal

Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman delivers a statement today at the Knesset, Israel's Parliament. Lieberman announced his resignation over the Gaza cease-fire, making early elections likely. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

JERUSALEM (AP) — The leader of a major Israeli opposition party says the resignation of Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman shows that the current government has run its course.

Yaid Lapid, head of the centrist Yesh Atid party, says today “the countdown has begun” to the end of Benjamin Netanyahu’s term in office. Lapid considers himself a potential successor to the longtime Israeli leader.

Lieberman says today he is resigning in protest over the cease-fire reached with Gaza militants.

Lieberman says the cease-fire reached with Gaza’s Hamas rulers was a “surrender to terrorism.” He has demanded a far stronger Israeli response to the most intense round of rocket fire against Israel since a 50-day war in 2014. He says he also fiercely objected to Israel’s allowing Qatar to deliver $15 million in aid to Gaza last week.

Lieberman’s resignation will go into effect in 48 hours. Netanyahu will take over on an interim basis.

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri says Lieberman’s resignation today marked “recognition of defeat and failure to confront the Palestinian resistance.” He says “Gaza’s steadfastness sent a political shockwave” in Israel.

The latest fighting was triggered by a botched Israeli raid into Gaza on Sunday that ignited clashes and left seven Palestinian militants and a senior Israeli officer dead.

Netanyahu says Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers “begged for a cease-fire and they know why.”

His comments today at a memorial service for Israel’s first leader, David Ben-Gurion, were his first since the two sides ended their most intense round of fighting since a 50-day war in 2014.

Palestinian militants fired 460 rockets and mortars into Israel in a 24-hour period, while the Israeli military carried out airstrikes on 160 Gaza targets. Seven Palestinians, including five militants, were killed. In Israel, one person was killed in a rocket strike and three were critically wounded.

Netanyahu has come under heavy political pressure for not delivering a more decisive blow against Hamas. He responded that “leadership is not doing the easy thing; it is doing the right thing.”

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