what a crap..... Lieberman is the best, what happened to Israel in the last years....

You mean we should not say outright that we won't apologize after being attacker by a "peace boat". Gimme a break. He says what we all think, or should think.

Please study about honesty and then maybe you will realize what Lieberman is saying. He's the most honest of them all and you can't see that. Your article has no base and real agenda. Please stay in the classroom.

are refugees. In that he follows Arafat's trail and Arab League's trail of 60 years. He has declared every year that nobody is allowed to take away the sacred rights of refugees. There is no small amount refugees which Abbas would accept to make a peace. It's got to be all. They would willingly take any part of Israel to promote their piece by piece policy but it will not bring peace. And this position is strenghtened by the West, UN, US and EU which by financing UNRWA support and accept Arab goals, also by supporting the Arab Peace Plan which requires the same. Refugees keep on waiting the move to Israel and by talking with Abbas Bibi cannot change anything. Arabs will not give up. Lieberman sees all this Bibi does not. The key for succesful peace agreement requires that the West denounces UNRWA and it will be combined to main UN refugee organisation to follow normal refugee policies. This is any way impasse because the West would not agree to do anything against Arabs. But starting this talk with the West would show everybody that the only available peace deal with Abbas contains Moslem majority in Israel which is under no contditions acceptable to Israel. Thus the pressure is moved away from Israel. The reason for Abbas' choice not to negotiate is because he sees also this as a problem and knows that without talking he gets everything free from the West. Israel is already alone in the world.

Israel's negative image has been decaying well before Lieberman even entered Politics. The lefts influence of appeasement over the years has not gained international partisan support for a secure Israel with a 2nd partition of Israel {jordan was 1st}. Bibi sadly is trying to walk the middle ground dealing with the collateral damage inherited by previous pacificated leftist governments and the Jewish historical narrative that Arabs rebuff and Europeans insidiously reject by way of Anti-Semitisms new face called Anti-Israel.Perhaps its time a new approach. Perhaps its time to throw out the shackles of the Ghetto Jews image of conciliatory survival technique or the Dhimmi Jews subjugation.Liebermans approach is not politically correct in Leftists deceptive world view that has brought Israel closer to its Existencial threat.The fact that Lieberman calls it like it is and simplifies realitiy is an approach that should be tested.It is time that Israel and Jews assert their rights to Eretz and create our own noise and expose the hypocrisy and Anti-Semitic stench that permeate through the U.N. and other N.G.O. Anti Israel partners. Lets bring it on and let a Lieberman like approach be the order of the day.Whats the fear The world will turn against Israel? We are already there.

This is not exatly the place to publish sane and reasonable content progessor.

Love is the Answer For this hippie professor love and sexuality is the answer to all conflicts in the Middle East. Simple web search on author’s credentials at BGU reveals the following research interests: 1. Gender and Sexuality 2. History 3. History Of Sexuality (Sexuality And Chivalry Courtly Love) 4. Sexuality in Islamic History 5. Turkish and Middle East Studies 6. Israel/Palestine What a shame!

Appeasement is the major reason for Israel's declining status. Until Israel embraced the sick policy of appeasement and retreat, Israel was highly respected, by friends and foes alike, as a gutsy little nation. Israel needs many more honest leaders like Lieberman. The way to elevate Israel's status is to end appeasement and retreat. Respect the wishes of the vast majority of right leaning Israelis. Act like th gutsy determined little nation we were meant to be.

Liberman is a rascist thug who hadsdone irreversable damage to the state of Israel. He is seen as somewhat of a joke in foreign diplomatic circles which confirms Israel`s status as a bannana republic.

Perhaps this prof thinks he could do better as F.M.? Bibi should fire Lieberman, but only for advocating anything contrary to his views (he is P.M.). Let the good prof sit with Abbas, Erekat and Fayyad..and Mubarak, Abdullah and Assad and resolve the complex issues..maybe even Hez/Hamas/Islamic Jihad/Fatah? Like Livni..these people have criticisms,,but no formulas for success. The Pales have red lines..get it1 They say over and over again. Israel's Bibi and his cabinet are wavering..perplexed, living in a fog of unreality. Avi at last knows what he wants. and sees the truth. In this case, the truth does not make anyone free. The world has always hated Jews..whether capitalists, Communists, socialists or Zionists. 6m died caus they were locked in and locked out. 1.4b Muslims vs 14m Jews (5.5 m Israeli). The odds are agin us. But again, Bibi should have people around him who agree with his philosophy. In the USA, we fire generals who dont.

and when he is gone, there is nobody left who likes this government... and then the others have to go to... its like pulling a card from a house of cards, not that lieberman is "crucial", but the faintest blow is enough to make it crash... btw, how does bibi justify, when asked in tv interviews etc, why he gave this job to lieberman ? does he say "because of his experience as..." or "what you want, he is doing a good job..." ?

Lieberman is calling it right, while Bibi is not facing reality. The PA refuses to recognize Israel's sovereignty. The PA is inciting its people against Israel and has sanctioned attacks against Israel. Now the PA wants to take away Jewish land unilaterrally - land that does not belong to the PA. It is time for Israel to stand up for its rights the way Lieberman does.

You should be thanking Lieberman for saying what he does, calling it by its name. Spineless politicians is not what this country needs. Grow something, Zeevi, before you go criticize FM.

We need to replace BiBi with Liebi

For 20 years Israelis have been lied to by their opportunistic and worthless politicians that the peace is around the corner. Now comes a person, who is telling it as it is, be it in a semi-crude way, and now those who caused the Oslo disaster are attacking him just like a rabid dog. If his co citizens are not kind to this man now, I have a feeling history will be kinder to him.

I am neither Jewish nor an Israeli but I am deeply concerned about the rapid decline in Israel's standing in the world. Whatever domestic political considerations might have influenced Lieberman's appointment, the results have been catastrophic and must end. A new election would certainly clear the air and allow Israelis to debate their future and put others in power who realize that isolation and diplomatic tantrums are a form of national suicide for Israel.

This article lost me the moment it compared Israel's situation to Zimbabwe. Lieberman = Mugabe?! Why is it that smolanim never EVER cease to exaggerate whilst yiminim seem to make do, and are able to can convey their opinions, just with fact?

FM Lieberman seems to be the only one consistently saying what has to be said. If the U.N. General Assembly were to vote today, Israel would cease to exist and the blame would not be Lieberman's. Turkey is not the ally it once was because of the election of Edrdogen. He belongs to an Islamist Party. The Arabs & Muslims will only respect strength. Israel would be stronger and more respected if he were PM.

Doesn't mean kissing Turkeys rear and trying to make the world happy. You can't make the world love you but if you stand up to opposition and stand firm on what is good for Israel then you will be strong and at least have respect. England once has a leader that tried to make nice with the enemy and then declared "Peace in our time." Well, we don't need that kind of peace ever again. The author calls for tact. Tact can be good but as Teddy Roosevelt once said: Speak softly and carry a big stick. It still holds true today.

To summarize the article: Israel should grovel in the dirt and beg forgiveness like ghetto Jews...and then the world will love her. Newsflash...Israel's diplomatic corps has been a basket case for decades. At least Lieberman fights back and retains some dignity for the country.

Don't get me wrong; I think that Lieberman is the worst thing that happened to this country in years. However, should Netanyahu dismiss Lieberman as Foreign Minister, Yisrael Beitenu would quit the coalition and the entire Israeli government would fall apart. Next thing you know, elections in 2011 and Livni is off to the PM's office!

You Leftists liberals cry and whine when you are losers. Stop whining and man up. Go and get yourself elected if you stand a chance.

for dog catcher.

If anyone should be fired, it's that circus clown Barak.

like Peres like Olmet etc would you exept him? No!!! So why bother with your "opinion"? mar Dror Zeevi

Being and extreme left winger from BG Uninversity, it's a forgone conclusion that the public's opinion would be of little or no importance to him. Zeevi should bear in mind that if the coaliton were to collapse that new elections would result in Lieberman being the next PM And he'd love that wouldn't he ;-)

I absolutely agree, Dana. I believe that when Mr. Lieberman says no he means NO. He is straight and I believe a good PM for Israel.

did not start with Lieberman? Our bad image started with Barak the wimp, Olmert the thief and Livni the whiner and a few other left morons. Lieberman is correcting our image with right at your face toughness.

I'm no ME studies lecturer, Just an International Relations Bachelor with a penchant for history. but it seems to me, given Israel's recent history, that the current crisis may stem less from the foreign minister's recent statements than from the perception among intellectuals that the job of the person occupying that post is to kiss everyone's rear end regardless of the circumstances. self-deprecating flattery is an important diplomatic tool, but there are times and situations when it is inappropriate.

What FM Lieberman has shown is what is needed in the rough world of international diplomacy. That Israel has backbone. No more spineless, wishy washy do nothings who inevitably leave the country in a worse position than it already was. What is needed is a dozen more Liebermans in the same position of ALL western democracies.