Moshe Yaalon resigns as Israeli defense minister

By Anees Bargouthi

JERUSALEM

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon announced Friday that he has resigned from his ministerial position and from the Israeli parliament (Knesset).

“I have found myself in conflict of values and ethics with Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu,” he said during a news conference.

Yaalon also said he will soon return to politics and will seek Israel’s leadership. He warned of “extremists” who took control of the government and the Likud party.

Tension between Yaalon and Netanyahu heightened after Yaalon supported Israeli army chief of staff Yair Golan, who compared Israel to the Nazis.

Yaalon’s resignation will take effect on Sunday. He is expected to be replaced by extremist Avigdor Lieberman on Tuesday.

Yaalon’s position in the Knesset will be filled by extremist Jewish rabbi Yehuda Glick, who has called for holding Jewish prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem.