Lieberman: No Peace Anytime Soon

Foreign Minister says there is no point insisting on an approach that has failed for 18 years running.

By Gil Ronen

First Publish: 12/25/2011, 6:27 PM

No Peace Anytime Soon

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Foreign Minister and Yisrael Beitenu head Avigdor Lieberman called Sunday for a change of tack regarding peace talks with the Palestinian Authority (PA), and said that peace is not in the offing.

"To continue to insist on a path that failed for 15 years will not lead anywhere and unfortunately today we are already on the same path for 18 years, in the same dead end, and worse than this – with desperation and frustration that continue to grow," Lieberman said at a conference of Foreign Ministry delegation heads.

"What needs to be clear to everyone is that this is not an effort by the Palestinians to reach peace but rather an effort by them to create facts on the ground and internationalize the conflict – that is, [they say] 'no' at any cost to direct negotiations and [strive to negotiate] only through international institutes and forums."

The key words in the relations with the PA should be "conflict management" and not "conflict solution," he explained. "Whoever says that in the coming years, we can reach peace with the Palestinians is wrong and misleads others."

Lieberman stressed that no territorial concession will solve the core issues of security, Jerusalem and refugees. "The only thing that will change here if we return to the [1949] borders is that the Kassam and Grad fire will not just emanate from Gaza toward the southern communities but also from Kalkilya to Gush Dan."

Lieberman blasted PA boss Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) for meeting the sadistic terrorist who took part in the murder of Ofir Rachum.

"Abu Mazen's true face could be seen last week when he went all the way to Turkey in order to honor and meet with the terrorist Amna Muna… This is Abu Mazen. This is the path he believes in and that is why he avoids sitting down with Israel to negotiate."

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