Even PM Netanyahu’s political enemies admire his uncanny ability to outfox, outrun, and turn defeat into triumph. It seems that the wily survivor—reportedly fond of remarking that while others play checkers, he’s playing chess—has been checkmated by former Minister Defence Avigdor Lieberman.

The latter’s stunning resignation on Wednesday may well be Netanyahu’s undoing. Openly aspiring to be prime minister, Lieberman is often under-estimated politically. He spent his army service in the rather inglorious job of medical supply room clerk, so it was assumed that he would never step down from the critical portfolio of Minister of Defense.

But, Lieberman did, and he cast it as a principled move. “I could no longer look in the eyes of the residents of southern Israel,” he said on Wednesday. It was, in Lieberman’s telling, Netanyahu’s agreement to a ceasefire with Hamas on Tuesday night that was the final straw.

Likud, the largest faction in the ruling government coalition, was clearly blindsided. Coalition member and cabinet minister Naftali Bennett, leader of the Jewish Home party, immediately challenged Netanyahu to hand him the Defense portfolio. If not, he threatened to abandon the coalition and force early elections.

Netanyahu already carries too many critical portfolios, among them Prime Minister, Health, Foreign Affairs, and, with the departure of Lieberman’s party, Absorption (new immigrants). He could not gobble up Defense as well. His highly centralized government may be effective, but it is extremely unhealthy to have the Prime Minister control so many key ministries. Some might even call it undemocratic.

Netanyahu was cornered. He had no options other than to try to convince his political nemesis, Bennett, to be a good boy and sit tight. Netanyahu refused Bennett’s ultimatum, triggering the announcement of national elections sometime between March and May of 2019. A date is expected to be announced on Sunday.

Things will get very interesting in the coming weeks as several big names are expected to enter the race and announce newly formed political parties. That’s the shtick in Israel. Superstars tend to burst onto the scene under their own banner, a bold move that ensures king/queen-making powers in the negotiations that follow elections.

Benny Gantz, the well-liked and respected though bland former IDF Chief of Staff, is expected to announce any day. His non-existent party is already polling strongly, coming in second to Likud in terms of the number of mandates.

Another strong candidate to watch is Orly Abecassis-Levy, who bolted from Lieberman’s caucus in 2016 and has been sitting since as an Independent MK. Last March she filed papers to found her still nameless party and has indicated that her platform will focus on socio-economic issues.

All polls out since Lieberman’s resignation several days ago still have Likud and Netanyahu in the lead, but down a significant number of mandates from a week ago. Predicting the outcome of Israeli politics is an insanely high risk, but I will take the bait: this unlikely moment could well mark the demise of Netanyahu’s reign and the emergence of the next round of leaders and rivals.