Lieberman calls for army chief of staff to resign

Former Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman called on Tuesday for the current army Chief of Staff, General Herzi Halevi, to resign over his inability to deal with reservists’ protests against the government’s proposed judicial overhaul, local media have reported. Far-right MK Lieberman is the leader of Yisrael Beiteinu party, and also a former foreign and finance minister.

“The chief of staff’s role was always to provide security and maintain the army’s competence,” He told a conference hosted by the Calcalist, an Israeli financial daily. “In today’s circumstances, this is impossible, so the chief of staff must resign, he has no other choice.”

Halevi has said that the refusal of Israeli reservists to turn up for duty in protest at the government’s judicial overhaul harms the Israel Defence Forces and threatens national security.

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