Lieberman: Abbas can't fight Hamas
As Annapolis conference approaches, Cabinet ministers express dissatisfaction with security situation in West Bank. 'We are cheating ourselves. It's clear that the Palestinians can't provide the goods,' Lieberman says
"There's nothing written in the Road Map which says the Palestinians are to fight terrorism only in Judea and Samaria. (Palestinian President Mahmoud) Abbas can't fight in Gaza and already said he won't aid a civil war. In Judea and Samaria, Abbas is living off our spears," said Strategic Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman during Sunday's Cabinet meeting on the upcoming Annapolis conference.
Lieberman demanded that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert hold a special government session on the US-brokered conference before it takes place.
"We are cheating ourselves. It's clear that the Palestinians can't provide the goods - that is the estimation of established sources. The minute we leave Judea and Samaria, it will only be left for Hamas to decide to take over the territories," said Lieberman in response to declarations by the Palestinian Authority on its readiness to take on terrorist forces as a condition for progress ahead of the conference.
In a commitment to Lieberman, Olmert promised to hold a government session before Annapolis.
'On Jerusalem there is nothing to talk about'
Other government ministers are also dissatisfied from the security situation before Annapolis. Pensioners Affairs Minister Rafi Eitan told Ynet before the weekly government meeting: "We must demand of the Palestinians absolute quiet in every area, including Gaza." Eitan was speaking after a rocket attack on Kibbutz Zikim Sunday morning, which killed six cows.
"I think the gap between the sides on the Annapolis conference remains, since the Palestinians have not yet grasped that compromises must be made if the conflict is to be solved. The chances that Palestinians understand that they must reach compromises due to the external pressures on them are not great. With that, I trust that Annapolis will be held and eventually, magic words will be found. Whether a peace agreement will emerge as a result is doubtful," Eitan said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Shas Chairman Eli Yishai said before the government meeting: "It's important that the Palestinians carry out the tasks before them, end terrorism, take control of Gaza, and end the incitement. I think we now need a timeout of a number of years until the time for negotiations for a permanent agreement become clearer.
"Regarding Annapolis, I say, either we talk about economic issues, or we don't talk about anything. Other than that, on Jerusalem, there is nothing to talk about. If Abbas does not now control his people, it's worth waiting for a Palestinian leader who does control them," he said.
