National Infrastructures Minister Avigdor Lieberman, in separate interviews with Arutz-7 and Voice of Israel today, said that in principle he is not against a withdrawal from the PA-areas. For the long run, however, \"we must reach a decisive military resolution to the situation.\" Lieberman explained, \"Our remaining in Bethlehem or Shechem is not what will lead to a decisive resolution. Rather, our strategy must be for the army to make quick entries into these areas, totally destroy anything that has to do with the terrorist infrastructures, and then leave. The U.S. is not physically inside Afghanistan, but it is destroying everything that has to do with terrorism and Taliban. We must do the same…\"
Lieberman explained that the government has resolved to withdraw the IDF forces from the PA-controlled areas when certain conditions are fulfilled: \"At present, they have not been fulfilled. In any event, the withdrawal will not come as a result of international pressure. The main point is to win this war in a decisive fashion. We must work towards bringing down the Palestinian Authority, and trying to reach agreements only after Arafat has left the scene.\"
Lieberman then explained why his party had rescinded its previous decision to quit the government: \"We are helping to get the government to go in this direction [stated above]. At this point, though, we have to end the shooting and stop the daily terrorism. Unfortunately, only after the murder of Ze\'evi did the government really take strong action such as last week\'s... We must never agree to Peres\' conception of perpetuating the current situation while striving for a diplomatic resolution under fire. As long as there is a possibility for us to have a say against this thinking, and to try to use our influence to strive for a radical change, we will remain in the government.\"
Lieberman explained that the government has resolved to withdraw the IDF forces from the PA-controlled areas when certain conditions are fulfilled: \"At present, they have not been fulfilled. In any event, the withdrawal will not come as a result of international pressure. The main point is to win this war in a decisive fashion. We must work towards bringing down the Palestinian Authority, and trying to reach agreements only after Arafat has left the scene.\"
Lieberman then explained why his party had rescinded its previous decision to quit the government: \"We are helping to get the government to go in this direction [stated above]. At this point, though, we have to end the shooting and stop the daily terrorism. Unfortunately, only after the murder of Ze\'evi did the government really take strong action such as last week\'s... We must never agree to Peres\' conception of perpetuating the current situation while striving for a diplomatic resolution under fire. As long as there is a possibility for us to have a say against this thinking, and to try to use our influence to strive for a radical change, we will remain in the government.\"