Likud Party veteran Moshe Arens announced he will challenge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the party leadership in the run-up to Israel’s May 17 elections. A former foreign minister known for his hawkish views, Arens said he wants to save the party from what he called its inevitable defeat if Netanyahu heads the ticket. The move was particularly embarrassing for Netanyahu because Arens served as his mentor at the start of the premier’s political career and had helped him become Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations in 1984.
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