Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., August 06, 2009 Av 16, 5769 | | Israel Time: 20:50 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Maccabiah Travel Week's End Anglo File
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman
 (Archive)
Share |
Last update - 10:51 07/07/2009
Lieberman: Sarkozy's remark was a 'regrettable' verbal slip
By Mazal Mualem, Haaretz Correspondent and Reuters
Tags: Avigdor Lieberman 

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Monday that French President Nicolas Sarkozy had made a "slip of the tongue" by calling for his dismissal, but that he was not disturbed by the remark.

Lieberman also dismissed what Israeli commentators call a snub by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has given Defense Minister Ehud Barak a mandate to narrow a rift with Washington over settlement building in the West Bank.

Neither Sarkozy nor Netanyahu have confirmed Israeli media reports last week that the French leader had told the Israeli during talks in Paris on June 24 to "get rid of" Lieberman as foreign minister.
Advertisement

Israel's Channel Two television and several newspapers said that Sarkozy had compared Lieberman, whose party has introduced legislation to curb the rights of Arab citizens, with French far-rightist Jean Marie Le Pen.

"People tend to say unnecessary things, including myself," Lieberman told reporters in parliament who asked him about Sarkozy's remarks.

"I relate to it as a regrettable slip of the tongue," said Lieberman, head of the Yisrael Beitenu party, Israel's third largest faction, said. "I'm not very excited by it."

A spokesman for Lieberman had denounced the reports of Sarkozy's comments as amounting to "intolerable" meddling in Israeli affairs, but Lieberman himself had avoided any comment before Monday's meeting of his parliamentary faction.

Lieberman has been accused of racism by Israel's Arab citizens for introducing legislation that could curb their rights. He has also said their towns be ceded to Palestinian jurisdiction in exchange for Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The reports about Sarkozy's purported remarks had put a spotlight on a rift between Israel and Western countries over Netanyahu's rejection of calls to stop settlement building in land captured in a 1967 war which Palestinians want for a state.


Conflict of interest

Lieberman also said Monday that he had deliberately chosen to avoid taking part in the debate over West Bank settlement, as his own residence in a settlement would pose a conflict of interest.

"As far as I am concerned, there is a conflict of interest when someone who lives in a settlement, in an isolate town that is not even counted among the settlements, takes part in the issue," he said.

"I would not want to be accused of this when I have made it a calculated choice not to engage in negotiations on the issue with the Americans," he said. U.S.-Israeli relations are "more important than the will of a foreign minister," Lieberman said.

"There is no alternative to our relationship with the U.S., but we will never give up our red lines," he added.

Lieberman has come under fire of late for demanding to be made responsible for ties with the U.S., while Defense Minister Ehud Barak has actually taken charge of negotiations over construction in West Bank settlements.

Last week, French President Nicolas Sarkozy also urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "rid himself" of Lieberman, who is seen as hawkish and hardline. Netanyahu and Barak have both come to Lieberman's defense in the face of public criticism.

Related articles:
  • Barak Ravid: Lieberman has become irrelevant
  • Sarkozy is right - Lieberman must go
    • PROMOTION: Mamilla Hotel
    Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Victory for Clinton
    Clinton's success in Korea could teach Obama something about diplomacy.
    Facebook protest
    Hackers turn homophobic facebook page into pro-gay forum.
      1.   a foreign minister who cant talk about the most important .. 16:09  |  Sarah 06/07/09
      2.   Hmmm, let`s examine this from all angles 16:11  |  Johnboy 06/07/09
      3.   Lieberman`s insult to real leaders 16:23  |  sam 06/07/09
      4.   Settlement??? 16:25  |  Adam 06/07/09
      5.   smartest thing hes done yet, stay out of politics !!! 16:35  |  keep it up :) 06/07/09
      6.   Right. Good idea 16:42  |  Northern 06/07/09
      7.   ROTFL 16:51  |  Giora Me`ir 06/07/09
      8.   Lieberman looking for excuses to explain why he is... 17:01  |  Esther 06/07/09
      9.   Israel should have two foreign ministers 17:05  |  Axel 06/07/09
      10.   Conflicts of interest 17:08  |  ccb 06/07/09
      11.   Sarah - consider his position 18:01  |  Mark Lincoln 06/07/09
      12.   simplest solution 18:10  |  Space 06/07/09
      13.   Defusing the situation 19:42  |  Mark Lincoln 06/07/09
      14.   space 11 20:01  |  settler 06/07/09
      15.   Lieberman fighting for his political future 20:08  |  Chris Linthwaite 06/07/09
      16.   its called democrcy 20:13  |  rez 06/07/09
      17.   If Sarkozy found it a regrettable slip, he would say so. 20:13  |  Louis LeBeau 06/07/09
      18.   @Space 21:16  |  Andrea 06/07/09
      19.   so which is it? 22:25  |  annie 06/07/09
      20.   BIbi 22:45  |  Jim 06/07/09
      21.   Giora: that`s a really good point 22:49  |  Jim 06/07/09
      22.   3 Monkeys 23:13  |  Ussishkin 06/07/09
      23.   Not a slip of the tongue - putting words in Sarkozy`s mouth 02:21  |  binny 07/07/09
      24.   Yes, Regrettable for Lieberman 02:53  |  Ed 07/07/09
      25.   #2 Johnboy - All angles, great idea 03:00  |  *BEN JABO 07/07/09
      26.   #9 Axel Scheiße - Interesting thought 03:06  |  *BEN JABO 07/07/09
      27.   Lieberman called a racist by more than Israeli Arabs 03:25  |  jim the mechanic 07/07/09
      28.   Sarkozy was right, friendly and candid. 05:25  |  Fortuna Benmayor 07/07/09
      29.   the hard decision will be to continue with Israel 05:35  |  Miron 07/07/09
      30.   This guy has to go 05:53  |  MIKE 07/07/09
      31.   Oh shocking?! Yeah, right 13:59  |  VIncent 07/07/09
      32.   #25 BEN JABO tries it on again. 12:31  |  Johnboy 08/07/09
      33.   #25 Here, BEN, have a look at this 17:02  |  Johnboy 08/07/09
      34.   #32 Johnboy - When you wear a uniform 11:56  |  *BEN JABO 09/07/09
      35.   #34-2 Johnboy - Details about Mt. Scopus Ambulance 18:43  |  *BEN JABO 09/07/09
      36.   #33 Johnboy - Just because the Centaur had a RC 01:01  |  *BEN JABO 10/07/09
      37.   #34 Whoah!! Back up a bit, Einstein!!! 03:05  |  Johnboy 10/07/09
      38.   Where`d ya` go, BEN ol` boy?????? 18:06  |  Johnboy 14/07/09
      39.   #38 Johnboy - Hardly sulking, it`s called VACATION 20:44  |  *BEN JABO 06/08/09
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    hotel Jerusalem
    David Citadel Hotel, come stay at the finest of Jerusalem hotels.
    Master's Program in Desert Studies
    An innovative, multidisciplinary, international program specialized in Desert Research
    Dead Sea Cosmetics .Summer Specials
    Velvet Hand Cream just $14.90
    Handmade In Tel Aviv
    Itay Noy, Timepiece Maker
    ISRAEL ARMY SURPLUS STORE
    IDF insignia,Uniforms, Paladium Boots Watches, Israel Army T-shirts & Collectibles
    Dead Sea Salt Beauty and skin care
    From the Dead Sea Coupon cofe Haaretz for 10% off!
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    More Headlines
    20:47 Israel envoy: Netanyahu row with Obama causes strategic damage
    13:58 IDF reportedly training for pointed attack on Hezbollah
    17:59 Gay leaders to Netanyahu: Your ministers incite against us
    15:34 Top Palestinian officials rule Israel to blame for Arafat death
    14:27 Israel waging war of nerves against Iran and Hezbollah
    17:10 Report: 'Sex and the City' star embroiled in West Bank controversy
    19:45 Sadat family outraged over U.S. film with dog named 'Anwar Sadat'
    00:15 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel
    20:05 IAF officers charged in violent hazing of cadets
    13:02 U.K. Labourite: Muslim councilor shunned me for being Jewish
    12:29 Kadima Web site infiltrated by pro-Palestinian hackers
    12:38 Rights group: Hamas guilty of Gaza war crimes
    12:31 Israel to review Sarkozy request to free French-Palestinian militant
    18:50 WHO: Swine flu vaccine to be ready by September
    13:02 U.S. Republicans in Israel: We are `troubled` by Obama policy
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Site rules |
    | Israel 2009 election results | Makom: Engaging on Israel
    | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved