Lieberman: Settlements not hindering peace

[Donald Ian Rankin]

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3719490,00.html

Lieberman says Jewish communities in West Bank cannot be blamed for difficulties in Israeli-Palestinian peace process; adds Washington, Jerusalem share strategic goals

Israel and the United States see eye to eye on strategic goals, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Thursday.

According to Lieberman, the shared goals include "ensuring Iran will not have unconventional weapons and fingering it as a destabilizing element in the Middle East, as well as the one involved in subversive acts in Egypt, Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. This (definition) is a common desire.

"It is also clear that Israel must maintain an advantage, and that the final goal is security and a situation of financial stability with the Palestinians."

.....

Lieberman further expressed his disappointment with the Palestinian leadership: "You can't have it both ways. You can't accept our help on one hand and ask the ICC to charge us with crimes against humanity on the other.

"(Such actions) go against all of the treaties we have signed, in letter and in spirit, and there is no way we will agree to it. We are not looking for confrontations. We support negotiations and we are trying to come up with a solution for coexistence, but we are done groveling."

As for the US administration's demands of Israel, especially those calling for the cessation of settlement construction, Lieberman seemed bewildered: "(The Palestinians) are claiming the settlements are abstracting peace, but why is the Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria the obstacle for peace? Were things different before 1967? Back then, we didn’t have settlements and we didn’t have peace, either. Things were exactly as they are now – with tension and terror."

[mmonk]

1. On what planet?

[atreides1]

2. I'm curious

"You can't accept our help on one hand and ask the ICC to charge us with crimes against humanity on the other."

Who is the "us" that Lieberman is referring to? The US or Israel?

Does Seantor Lieberman hold dual citizenship?

Like I said i'm just curious.

[Howardx]

3. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman

not joe

[LeftishBrit]

5. No, Avigdor Lieberman holds only Israeli citizenship

This is the Israeli Foreign Minister - not Senator Joe Lieberman (who is just an American citizen). Same surname, different people.

[azurnoir]

4. Avigdor says he's perfectly peaceful in his (settlement) home

so what's their problem? They're always complaining about something. Obama just doesn't understand:sarcasm:

[LeftishBrit]

6. Lieberman is a far-right obstacle to peace.

And totally unsuited to the role of Foreign Minister.