Lion had a lead of one percent, with 50.46%, compared to 49.54% for Berkovtich in a race that was impacted by a rift inside the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community.

An anonymous letter, recently discovered in the National Library archives, offers a glimpse into a time of crisis when the residents of Tel Aviv were prisoners in their own homes.

'Hamas missiles don’t differentiate between Israelis, neither should Europe. Boycotts of Israeli goods are antisemitic and detrimental to any efforts to achieve lasting peace in the region.'

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said that Liberman's resignation was an "admission of defeat and a sign of failure to face the Palestinian resistance."

"The statement about Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman's alleged support for stopping the attacks in Gaza is fake news. The defense minister's stand is consistent and has not changed."

Political jostling for the Defense Ministry has already begun, with Education Minister Naftali Bennett and several Likud ministers claiming they are Liberman’s rightful heir.

Government stability, especially in light of what just happened in Gaza, should always take preference over early elections.