Lieberman: “P.A Asks Israel To Crush Hamas Then Complains To The International Community”

Tuesday November 17, 2009 09:34

by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Avigdor Lieberman

Lieberman claimed that during the offensive against the Gaza Strip earlier this year, Abbas asked Israel to crush Hamas, and when the war was over, the Palestinians filed complaints to the International Criminal Court.

He also claimed that the Palestinian Authority encouraged thousands of complaints against Israel even before the report of Judge Richard Goldstone was published.

Referring to the statements of President Mahmoud Abbas regarding resorting to the international community to support a Palestinian unilateral declaration of statehood, Lieberman threatened that any unilateral step by the Palestinians would be met with Israeli unilateral moves.

He also said that such unilateral moves disregard past peace deals. Yet, Lieberman himself does not respect previously signed deals.

Lieberman further stated that Israel can no longer count on an American Veto at the UN Security Council, but added that the United States understands that such unilateral moves impede the peace process.

Referring to talks with Syria, Lieberman stated that Syrian President, Bashar Asad, declared interests in resuming peace talks with Israel, but his county still has strong ties of Iran and with Hamas.

Lieberman yet said that Israel is prepared to hold non-conditional talks with Damascus.

It is worth mentioning that the Palestinian Authority has asked the United States to support its request for statehood at the UN Security Council.
Palestinian Chief Negotiator, Dr. Saeb Erekat, said that the Palestinian Authority filed a similar request to the European Union.

Dr. Erekat added that should the Palestinian Authority be granted a Security Council decision supporting statehood, it will not declare a state, but would consider statehood as the base for peace talks with Israel.

Erekat stated that he met 27 representatives of the European Union asking them to support the Palestinian request for statehood and east Jerusalem as the capital. He added that the representatives voiced no objection.

The Israeli government, headed by Benjamin Netanyahu, does not have a sovereign Palestinian State, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in its agenda, and rejects the refugees’ Right of Return, in addition to rejecting the evacuation of settlements, talks on basic issues such as borders and natural resources.