Israel's Avigdor Lieberman Tells the Truth

by John M. Curtis
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Copyright December 26, 2010
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            Throwing cold water on prospects for Mideast peace, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, former head of Israel’s Russian settler Yisrael Beiteinu Party, was brutally honest telling Palestinians that peace is no done deal.  Lieberman reminded the West Bank faction lead by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that there are real consequences to breaking off peace talks.  Abbas suspended direct talks brokered by the United States through President Barack Obama’s envoy former Sen. George Mitchell (D-Maine) for allowing a West Bank and East Jerusalem building freeze to expire last September.  Abbas controls only the West Bank after Hamas evicted him from Gaza June 14, 2007, about a year-and-a-half after it won internationally monitored parliamentary elections Jan. 27, 2006.  Hamas seized Gaza by force because the U.S. wouldn’t recognize Hamas’ legal authority.

            Lieberman ruffles feathers in the West Bank and Washington stating the obvious that Abbas may lack legal authority for not holding new elections.  “It’s not only that it is impossible,” said Lieberman in reference to a comprehensive Mideast peace.  “It is simply forbidden,” referring to the Palestinians demands that would compromise Israel’s security.  Lieberman questions Abbas’ authority for not only postponing elections but also having no working relationship with Gaza’s Hamas government.  While the U.S. tries to broker a deal only with Abbas, it’s become obvious that any peace would be rejected by Hamas.  Hamas, considered a terrorist group by the U.S. State Department, accepts no peace deals by Abbas’ predecessor, the later former PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat.  Nothing the U.S. brokers with Abbas and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is valid with Hamas.

            Lieberman raises disturbing questions regarding current attempts at Mideast Peace.  When Hamas won legitimate elections during the Bush administration Jan 27, 2006, the U.S. State Department, led by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, listed Hamas a terror group.  While its history deserves that label, winning parliamentary elections caused problems for the U.S. bargaining position.  Negotiating a peace deal with only half the Palestinian population, especially the half that lost the Jan. 27, 2006 parliamentary elections, present problems.  West Bank Palestinians Authority is “not legitimate” because it has postponed elections, said Lieberman.  He knows also that Abbas has not won parliamentary elections.  No matter how much the U.S. wants to ignore Hamas and deal only with Abbas, turning a blind eye doesn’t advance the Mideast peace process.

            Painting Lieberman as a right wing nut doesn’t tell the whole story, obscured by the Obama administration’s rush to a Mideast peace deal.  Lieberman’s recent remarks about the “impossibility” of a Mideast peace deal should signal to Abbas that he’d better start playing ball or go back to square-one.  When Abbas broke off peace talks in Sept., he should have considered the fallout.  He knew that when Israel gave back Gaza Sept 5, 2005, the PLO got all Israel’s commercial and residential building.  If Palestinian radicals decided to raze Israeli structures, it doesn’t dismiss Israel’s obligation to abandon the structures and territory.  Abbas knows that with or without Israeli building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, a peace deal would force Israel to cede all developed real estate in a new Palestinian state.  Breaking off peace talks only harms Palestinians’ current  bargaining position.

            For several months, Israel has faced increased rocket fire from Gaza putting Jerusalem back on a war footing.  While Abbas’ Palestinian Authority has no control over Gaza, Israel can’t negotiate peace in a state of war.  Gaza’s strongman Ismail Haniyeh, who takes his orders from Hamas’ Demascus-based leader-in-exile Khalid Meshaal, has little control over his own militants.  “It’s too late now for anything except ending the occupation and allowing for two states on the ’67 borders,” said PA spokesman Ghassan Khatib, still acting like Abbas dictates terms.  Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly urged PLO officials to stop making demands and return to the peace table.  Since Abbas can’t speak for Hamas, he’d make more progress toward a two-state solution working closely with Netanyahu toward meeting Israel’s security requirements.

            Lieberman’s position should send a wakeup call to the Palestinian Authority to stop quibbling about building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and get back to the peace table.  Only there can both sides stop making demands and make the concessions needed to put together a two-state peace deal.  Neither side benefits from more delays, especially where Abbas threatens to unilaterally declare an independent state.  Abbas and Netanyahu must stop catering to their right wing and work with the U.S. to come up with settlement that works for both sides.  Letting Palestinian radicals declare another “intifada” or uprising only delays indefinitely the reality of a two-state solution.  Even if Abbas cooperates fully with Netanyahu, his agreement will be rejected by Hamas, still committed to Israel’s destruction.  Whatever the obstacles remain, both sides must get back to the table.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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