Lieberman vs. Livni: First solve security problem

Deputy prime minister addresses need to dismantle terror organizations before launching diplomatic process with Palestinians; his associates clarify remarks were aimed at foreign minister, her diplomatic program. Lieberman: This government must finally internalize that the Qassam fire from Gaza to Sderot must be halted
Ronny Sofer

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Strategic Affairs Avigdor Lieberman opened a front of his own against Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni's plan to promote the diplomatic process with the Palestinians.

"We must not move to a stage of diplomatic negotiations, while conceding the stage of dismantling the terror organizations and collecting the illegal weapons," Lieberman said Sunday during an Israel Our Home political rally in the town of Ariel.

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Lieberman rejected the idea of launching negotiations under fire and made it clear that "the government's role is first of all to ensure security. Any diplomatic agreement should follow a solution to the security problem."

Lieberman's associates clarified that the remarks were not said in vain two days after an interview was published with Livni, in which she made her political doctrine clear, saying that a diplomatic dialogue must be held before the initial conditions defined in the Road Map are reached.

Lieberman sees Livni's program as a security danger to Israel and its residents, and the remarks he made Sunday were aimed against Livni's doctrine as it was presented over the weekend.

Minister Lieberman was firm in his demand that Israel obtains suitable security arrangements, including concrete operations against the terror coming from Gaza.

"Just like (former Prime Minister) Arik Sharon understood that the fire from Beit Jala toward the houses of Jerusalem cannot continue, just like Sharon understood that only a campaign like Defensive Shield may restrain terror coming from Judea and Samaria, this government should finally internalize that the Qassam fire from Gaza to Sderot must be halted," Lieberman said.

Since he joined the government, Lieberman has avoided confronting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the other coalition members, mainly from the Labor Party.

Over the past weekend, however, when a possibility was raised that Olmert may make a gesture to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ahead of Eid al-Adha through the release of Palestinian prisoners, Lieberman made it clear that this must not be carried out.

On Sunday, in Ariel, he was very firm on the need to change the government's policy. He demanded that the Israeli government set diplomatic objectives for itself, just like it sets economic objectives for itself.

"This is something each government is required to do, especially at this time," he said.

'Middle East is not only Israel's problem'

Lieberman defined the government's diplomatic objectives as he sees them at this time: In the next few years, Israel must set an objective for itself to become an inseparable part of the European Union states.

"It should also become part of the NATO Treaty," he said, setting a diplomatic strategic objective for the first time.

"We must understand that a diplomatic agreement in the Middle East is not only Israel's problem. The Mideast confrontation is part of a comprehensive confrontation between the free world and the radical world.

"Also in Iraq, also in Lebanon, and also in Gaza these are the same active elements, like Hizbullah and Hamas. The one who is threatening western interests in the Persian Gulf is Iran. Therefore, not only Israel should do all this hard diplomatic work, but the entire free world.

"I estimate that by June 2007 the current Israeli government will undergo significant changes," Lieberman predicted.

"This will be the most security-oriented government Israel will have. For example, this government will have to decide on a significant military operation which will be able to restrain the terror in Gaza.

"Such an operation must be prepared thoroughly and meticulously. The campaign must not only be the outcome of pressure and public opinion," Lieberman concluded.