Liberman hits back at Netanyahu: The man from Ceasarea is calling the settler a leftist

Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman hits back at what he calls a systematic attempt by Benjamin Netanyahu and members of his Likud party to discredit him after the Knesset voted to disperse and hold fresh elections for the second time this year.

"The man from Caesarea is calling the man from (the settlement) of Nokdim a leftist," Liberman says in a press conference from Tel Aviv.

Liberman lists what he says were left-wing actions by the prime minister, including voting to evacuate the Gaza settlements in 2005, apologizing to '"dictator" Recep Tayyip Erdogan, refusing to remove illegal Palestinian buildings, and allowing Hamas to receive more than $30 million after 700 rockets were fired at southern Israel earlier this month.

The decision to hold fresh elections came after Netanyahu was unable to persuade Liberman to join a coalition government.