Netanyahu’s government ‘reached its demise,’ says Israel’s Lieberman

By Zein Khalil

JERUSALEM (AA) – The government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “has reached its demise,” former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Sunday.

“The government has exhausted itself, and removing it will be a reward for Israel’s people,” Lieberman, the leader of the hardline Yisrael Beiteinu Party, said in statements carried by Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.

His comments came amid reports of differences between Netanyahu and War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz over the latter’s visit to Washington for talks with US officials.

A source close to Netanyahu said Gantz’s trip was organized without the prime minister’s approval and contrary to government regulations that require “every minister to clear travel in advance with the prime minister, including approval of the travel plan.”

“I expect Gantz and his National Unity Party will declare the death of this government, and that we need to turn back to the voters,” said Lieberman, who previously served in the foreign affairs and finance ministries.

Netanyahu has been under fire amid growing calls for holding fresh elections as his government continued its deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 30,410 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed and 71,700 others injured in the Israeli offensive amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities, while nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed.

The Israeli war, now in its 149th day, has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi