Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman joins the voices of lawmakers opposed to an effort to annex communities in Yehuda and Shomron. The foreign minister, himself a resident of a yishuv, feels the Bayit Yehudi initiative is not realistic.

In an address to a CPA convention in Eilat the foreign minister stated “It may be an okay idea but it hasn’t a chance. It might bring Naftali Bennett’s party an additional two seats but it won’t happen.

Regarding the diplomatic process between Israel and the PA (Palestinian Authority), he stated the status quo was not working. “It’s like a soccer game. If you spend all your time on defense, protecting the goal, eventually one will score. It is not enough to remain on defense. You must initiate”.

The minister also expressed criticism against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, albeit not by mentioning him by name, stating “We cannot always reject initiatives”, adding his party is the only one that represents clearly defined political goals. He feels Yisrael Beitenu offers solutions to the Israel-PA conflict as well as to the issues of the Arab world and Israeli Arab citizens of the State of Israel. “One does not have to bury one’s head in the sand” he continued, calling on the administration to accept a defined plan and explain it to the citizens of the country. “It is difficult to continue like this. When four senior ministers each explain a plan that contradicts the others it does not look good. Despite the pain we must cut through it and adopt a clearly defined political plan and compel all cabinet ministers to support it”.

The senior cabinet minister added that any agreement reached with the PA will have to be approved by the Arab world for lacking the greater approval, the agreement will not hold up.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)