Sa'ar leaves Likud, will challenge Netanyahu for power in Israel

Dec. 8 (UPI) -- Gideon Sa'ar, a rival to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Likud Party, said he is leaving it to form a new party and possibly challenge the country's longest-serving leader.

Sa'ar's announcement of his departure from Likud comes after the Knesset voted to dissolve, which could lead to new elections. The body would have to vote three more times for the vote to be final. The move to dissolve was made because of a looming budget crisis.

"The Likud has changed and become a tool serving its leader and his legal battle," Sa'ar said in a news conference. "I can no longer support the Likud under Netanyahu. I decided to form a new party in which in the election I will run against Netanyahu and replace him."

A year ago, Netanyahu soundly beat Sa'ar in an election for Likud Party leadership. Netanyahu won 72.5% of the party's vote in a rare challenge to his power to Sa'ar's 27.5%.

Avigdor Liberman, leader of the Yisrael Beytenu Party, told local media that Sa'ar could take several Knesset members who are loyal to him into the new party, creating new splits before another national election.

"When Gideon Sa'ar attacks Netanyahu twice in one week, it is clear he won't run with the Likud, due to all of his lack of love for Netanyahu," Liberman said. "Gideon Sa'ar has already made a decision."