In an exclusive interview with Arutz 7, Lieberman said that restoring deterrence was a national imperative. “It they [the Arabs] don’t take us seriously, and don’t understand that we’re ready to stop at nothing to preserve our interests, no [political] solution will have any value.”
Lieberman said his political agenda starts with clarity and determination. “If it were dependent on me,” he said, “I wouldn’t zigzag. I’d tell the Palestinians, the Egyptians, and the Jordanians, along with the five ambassadors of the permanent members of the Security Council, that if there’s one terrorist act, the Palestinians will pay a price,” that will convince them to refrain from terror.
“The price tag must be so high, that no one would dare” pick a fight with us, he added. “Everything we’ve done so far, has been the opposite.”
Lieberman accused the government of appearing weak and acting like “a dirty rag.” For example, he said, when Israel withdrew from Lebanon, we said that if one shot is fired from Lebanon, the country would burn. Later, when they fired, abducted soldiers, and sent terrorists across the border, we did nothing.
Regarding the Hamas, Lieberman said Israel should not engage in any form of diplomacy with them. He said leaving the Hamas in power would result in everybody getting use to an atmosphere of “business as usual,” with Hamas leader Khaled Mashal traipsing around world capitals, enlisting support for the PA and his terrorist organization.
So far, he said, Israeli policy in relation to the Hamas has been “a total failure.” “From the first moment, we needed to set a definitive, uncompromising stance,” he said. The government’s “zigzags and stuttering” have caused Israel to lose ground in the international arena.
Though unapologetically nationalistic, some of Lieberman’s positions might run counter to those who believe that Israeli sovereignty must be maintained over the entirety of the land of Israel. Lieberman says that he favors transferring Arab populated areas of Israel’s pre-1967 borders, such as the city of Umm El-Fahm, to Arab sovereignty in exchange for Jewish populated areas of Judea and Samaria, such as Ma’ale Adumim.
Lieberman explains his position by asking why Israel should make social security payments to hostile Arab citizens. “The issues are painful and complicated, but we have no choice,” he said.
Lieberman was particularly critical of the National Religious Party (NRP) and of Baruch Marzel, head of Hazit, the Jewish National Front. “They are guilty of the tragedy of Gush Katif and Amona. These people are incapable of fighting to save the settlements, and only harm them. They provide excuses” for people who want to destroy Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria.
“Anyone who wants to fight against settlements can hold up Baruch Marzel and the NRP,” he postulated. “Besides being right, we need to be wise,” he said.
A spokesman for Marzel responded to Lieberman’s charges calling them “chutzpah.”
“The one who lent a hand to the expulsion and then disappeared when the struggle started was none other than Avigdor Lieberman. This is the same Lieberman who supports the sale of pork and pig products, espouses withdrawal from territories, and hooks up with people on the left,” said the spokesman.
Lieberman said his political agenda starts with clarity and determination. “If it were dependent on me,” he said, “I wouldn’t zigzag. I’d tell the Palestinians, the Egyptians, and the Jordanians, along with the five ambassadors of the permanent members of the Security Council, that if there’s one terrorist act, the Palestinians will pay a price,” that will convince them to refrain from terror.
“The price tag must be so high, that no one would dare” pick a fight with us, he added. “Everything we’ve done so far, has been the opposite.”
Lieberman accused the government of appearing weak and acting like “a dirty rag.” For example, he said, when Israel withdrew from Lebanon, we said that if one shot is fired from Lebanon, the country would burn. Later, when they fired, abducted soldiers, and sent terrorists across the border, we did nothing.
Regarding the Hamas, Lieberman said Israel should not engage in any form of diplomacy with them. He said leaving the Hamas in power would result in everybody getting use to an atmosphere of “business as usual,” with Hamas leader Khaled Mashal traipsing around world capitals, enlisting support for the PA and his terrorist organization.
So far, he said, Israeli policy in relation to the Hamas has been “a total failure.” “From the first moment, we needed to set a definitive, uncompromising stance,” he said. The government’s “zigzags and stuttering” have caused Israel to lose ground in the international arena.
Though unapologetically nationalistic, some of Lieberman’s positions might run counter to those who believe that Israeli sovereignty must be maintained over the entirety of the land of Israel. Lieberman says that he favors transferring Arab populated areas of Israel’s pre-1967 borders, such as the city of Umm El-Fahm, to Arab sovereignty in exchange for Jewish populated areas of Judea and Samaria, such as Ma’ale Adumim.
Lieberman explains his position by asking why Israel should make social security payments to hostile Arab citizens. “The issues are painful and complicated, but we have no choice,” he said.
Lieberman was particularly critical of the National Religious Party (NRP) and of Baruch Marzel, head of Hazit, the Jewish National Front. “They are guilty of the tragedy of Gush Katif and Amona. These people are incapable of fighting to save the settlements, and only harm them. They provide excuses” for people who want to destroy Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria.
“Anyone who wants to fight against settlements can hold up Baruch Marzel and the NRP,” he postulated. “Besides being right, we need to be wise,” he said.
A spokesman for Marzel responded to Lieberman’s charges calling them “chutzpah.”
“The one who lent a hand to the expulsion and then disappeared when the struggle started was none other than Avigdor Lieberman. This is the same Lieberman who supports the sale of pork and pig products, espouses withdrawal from territories, and hooks up with people on the left,” said the spokesman.