Avigdor Lieberman
Photo: Vadim Daniel
Lieberman: Arab Monitoring Committee supports destruction of Israel
Strategic Affairs Minister warns of 'dangerous union between Israeli-Arab Higher Monitoring Committee, new Palestinian government', warns both are calling for destruction of Israel as Jewish state
Deputy Prime Minister and Strategic Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman warned on Saturday of what he called a "worrisome and dangerous union between the Higher Monitoring Committee for the Arab Population in Israel, a forum of Israeli-Arab leaders, and the newly established Palestinian unity government – they both call of the destruction of Israel as a Jewish and Zionist nation."
Lieberman announced he intends to bring the matter to the cabinet's weekly meeting on Sunday and said he calls on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to boycott the Higher Monitoring Committee.
Two of the committee's statements in particular have riled Lieberman, the most recent of these was issued on Saturday evening and expressed the committee's support for the new Palestinian unity government. The second statement, issued last December, was a document titled "The Future Vision of Palestinian Arabs in Israel.' In the document the Arab leaders call for Israel to be "replaced with a bi-national state… since it has a large Arab majority."
The paper states that the Arab public is willing to see Israel as a 'joint nation' for two peoples, but does not recognize Israel's Jewish character.
Lieberman said in response on Sunday: "They both call for destruction, and this is an analogy that must be made. I intend to say this at the weekly cabinet meeting. There is a full Jewish consensus in Israel on this matter, from (left-wing MK) Yossi Beilin to Avigdor Lieberman.
"I intend to call on the prime minister to boycott the Higher Monitoring Committee for the Arab Population in Israel until it goes back on its declarations, which ultimately say that Israel must not be a Jewish state. There needs to be a comprehensive discussion of this matter in the government and action must be taken against the Monitoring Committee, which instead of serving the needs of the Israeli-Arab public has become a body serving the Palestinian government. My problem is not with the Israel-Arab public, but with their Higher Monitoring Committee."
Lieberman will also demand that the government take decisive measures against the new Palestinian government. On Thursday Lieberman said that based on the new government's platform, the Israeli government must discontinue any contact with President Mahmoud Abbas.
