Robert Bandanza
August 10th, 2009, 09:10 PM
Mon, 10 Aug 2009 22:35:16 GMT
Israel's foreign minister has described a Middle East peace deal as an 'illusion', saying the most that peace talks can achieve is improving security and the Palestinian economy.
In a meeting with a delegation of US Democratic lawmakers on Monday, Avigdor Lieberman once again set pre-conditions for peace talks, rejecting all Palestinian demands, especially a freeze on settlement construction.
"Israeli policy must be based on reality and not illusion while maintaining the dialogue between us and the Palestinians, improving security arrangements and the economic condition of the Palestinians," Lieberman said.
"This is the maximum we can reach in the coming years," he stressed.
He strongly opposed any attempt to impose a peace deal, adding that any extravagant effort would "end in failure, disappointment and even confrontation."
The administration of the US President Barack Obama is attempting to put the Middle East peace talks back on track. Washington has repeatedly called for a total freeze on Jewish settlement construction in the Occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem (al-Quds).
Israeli officials have rejected a complete halt saying they would continue constructing new housing units within the existing settlements to meet its natural growth -- a move which drew a strong response from Washington.
Obama "wants to see a stop to [Israeli] settlements - not some settlements, not outposts, not natural growth exceptions," the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in response.
Echoing Lieberman's statement, the Israeli Interior Minister Eli Yishai, a key political ally to Netanyahu, said on Monday that Israel must go ahead with plans to expand a Jewish settlement enclave on the occupied West Bank land despite US objections.
A whole host of similar disagreement between the Obama administration and the government of hawkish Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted a deepening gap between the two allies.
The differences between the two sides became so apparent that Israel's Consul-General in Boston Nadav Tamir, in a memo that was leaked to the media, severely criticized the policies adopted by the Netanyahu government.
"An image of a conflict between the Israeli government and the Obama administration is harming the support for Israel in the public opinion," he said.
Lieberman, in turn, lashed out at Tamir. "Anyone who disagrees with, and is uncomfortable with government policies can resign," his spokesman quoted him as saying.
http://www.presstv.ir/new/detail.aspx?id=103083§ionid=351020202
Israel's foreign minister has described a Middle East peace deal as an 'illusion', saying the most that peace talks can achieve is improving security and the Palestinian economy.
In a meeting with a delegation of US Democratic lawmakers on Monday, Avigdor Lieberman once again set pre-conditions for peace talks, rejecting all Palestinian demands, especially a freeze on settlement construction.
"Israeli policy must be based on reality and not illusion while maintaining the dialogue between us and the Palestinians, improving security arrangements and the economic condition of the Palestinians," Lieberman said.
"This is the maximum we can reach in the coming years," he stressed.
He strongly opposed any attempt to impose a peace deal, adding that any extravagant effort would "end in failure, disappointment and even confrontation."
The administration of the US President Barack Obama is attempting to put the Middle East peace talks back on track. Washington has repeatedly called for a total freeze on Jewish settlement construction in the Occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem (al-Quds).
Israeli officials have rejected a complete halt saying they would continue constructing new housing units within the existing settlements to meet its natural growth -- a move which drew a strong response from Washington.
Obama "wants to see a stop to [Israeli] settlements - not some settlements, not outposts, not natural growth exceptions," the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in response.
Echoing Lieberman's statement, the Israeli Interior Minister Eli Yishai, a key political ally to Netanyahu, said on Monday that Israel must go ahead with plans to expand a Jewish settlement enclave on the occupied West Bank land despite US objections.
A whole host of similar disagreement between the Obama administration and the government of hawkish Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted a deepening gap between the two allies.
The differences between the two sides became so apparent that Israel's Consul-General in Boston Nadav Tamir, in a memo that was leaked to the media, severely criticized the policies adopted by the Netanyahu government.
"An image of a conflict between the Israeli government and the Obama administration is harming the support for Israel in the public opinion," he said.
Lieberman, in turn, lashed out at Tamir. "Anyone who disagrees with, and is uncomfortable with government policies can resign," his spokesman quoted him as saying.
http://www.presstv.ir/new/detail.aspx?id=103083§ionid=351020202