Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman told reporters on Sunday, “I don’t see anything differently from here than from there. I see better from here than what I saw from there, only strengthening the opinions that I expressed during the elections campaign.”
Former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is famous for explaining the differences between his policies as Prime Minister and the opinions he long held before then by saying, “What you see from here, you don’t see from there.”
At a briefing for diplomatic correspondents at the Foreign Ministry, Lieberman said that one of the main errors made by the Foreign Ministry before he took over five months ago was that “it had become, for 90% of the time, the ministry for Palestinian affairs… I have acted to strengthen our ties with African and South American nations. There is no substitute for our relations with the United States, and we have to develop and nurture them – but we must also build up our relations with other countries as well.”
Responding to reports that U.S. President Barack Obama plans to have a Palestinian state established within two years, Lieberman said, “There is no single Palestinian Authority. Israeli policy must be based on reality, not illusions. Dramatic goals such as forcing an arrangement by a certain time are bound to fail, and will end in disappointment, frustration and even hostilities.”
“Mark my words: Even in 16 years from now, there will not be a comprehensive deal with the Palestinians. When I read the Fatah platform, I see there is no chance of bridging our differences. Even if a Palestinian state arises [in all of Judea and Samaria], the Palestinians will continue to demand autonomy for the Galilee, and the like. Let’s not get stuck in unrealistic dreams; let’s improve the economic situation and the roadblocks, and keep the dialogue going.”
Minister Lieberman said that when he took office, “My staff and I invested a lot of effort and thought with the veteran Ministry officials in an attempt to find out what is the goal of the Ministry? What has been done? What should we do? At the end of the process, we formulated a document detailing and defining the goals and missions for Israel’s Foreign Ministry.”
Asked if he would resign from the government if Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu decides to freeze Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria, Lieberman said, “At this point, I don’t want to draw red lines. I’d like to give others a chance to prove that I’m wrong.” Lieberman is one of six ministers on a special committee tasked with making the decision regarding construction. The others are Netanyahu, Meridor and Barak, who are inclined to favor going along with the American demands for a freeze, and Lieberman, Yaalon and Begin, who oppose.
Regarding the Iranian nuclear threat, the former Strategic Affairs Minister said, “Israel has warned many times in the past, and must do much more. Iran is a cause of instability in the entire region, and not just for Israel.”