ISRAEL –  Israeli Defense Minister Moshe “Bogie” Ya’alon resigned Friday morning in the midst of a government shake-up that would have seen him replaced. “I have lately found myself in difficult moral and professional controversies with the Prime Minister, a number of other ministers, and some members of Knesset,” Ya’alon said at a Tel Aviv press conference after his announcement.

“To my great sorrow, they have taken over Israel, and the Likud movement, dangerous and extremist elements, that upend the house and threaten it. This is not the Likud movement that I joined.” Ya’alon has been in a protracted public argument with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the Israeli military. In recent weeks, Ya’alon has encouraged military generals to speak out about moral issues and the rules of engagement, even if they did not have the support of politicians. The statement was seen as criticism of Netanyahu. The two men met for an hour Monday to reconcile their differences, saying: “There is no quarrel.” (CNN/photo: newsunited.com)…[+]