Israel’s Foreign Minister of the fundamentalist right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party, told his French and Spanish counterparts that Europe should first solve its own problems before trying to complain about Israeli policies.“Before complaining about our polices, go and solve your issues first”, Lieberman said, “After you do so, I will be open to listening to your proposals”.
He made his statements to two European foreign ministers during a dinner meeting on Sunday evening.
Lieberman told Miguel Moratinos of Spain and Bernard Kouchner of France that ‘Israel will not be the new Czechoslovakia of 2010”, Israeli daily Haaretz reported.
He also claimed that the International community is trying to compensate “for its failures in Sudan, North Korea and Afghanistan by trying to force Israel into achieving a peace deal with the Palestinians within a year”.
The Israeli Minister further stated that Europe should pressure the Arab League into normalizing relations with Israel and to push for a comprehensive peace deal, and added that he does not expect the E.U. to solve all world problems and issues, but “they should at least solve their own problems before trying to mediate peace with the Palestinians”.
He also made a reference to 1938, and stated that Europe tried to appease Hitler by sacrificing Czechoslovakia instead of defending it or at least supporting it, and added that Israel will not accept being the new Czechoslovakia of 2010.
Lieberman’s party is part of the coalition formed by Israel’s Prime Minister of the Likud party. He believes that Israel has the right to construct Jewish settlements in the occupied territories, including in occupied East Jerusalem.
He firmly opposes the internationally guaranteed legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to statehood and the Right of Return of the Palestinian refugees.
