With a deal to bring Avigdor Lieberman into the coalition as Defense Minister appearing imminent, the PA (Palestinian Authority) Foreign Ministry released a statement that doing so proves Israel favors extremism.

The statement adds that appointing Lieberman is not the “appropriate response” to recent French overtures to host an international Mideast peace summit to bring Israel and the PA back to the negotiating table.

After talks collapsed with opposition leader Yitzchak Herzog on Wednesday, the latter held a press conference in Tel Aviv during which he blamed PM Netanyahu’s refusal to write down the items agreed to. He also blames party colleagues for sabotaging his negotiations, accusing him of selling out ideology for entry to the cabinet. In fact, Herzog announced that he had achieved a great deal but unfortunately, Mr. Netanyahu was unwilling to put anything in writing.

Herzog expresses his disappointment for he believes that passing the deal to bring him and his party into the coalition will result in a missed opportunity to achieve peace with the Palestinians in addition to improving and mending strained relations with the United States.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)