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Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman speaks to the media after a news conference at the Knesset on Monday. Reuters
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Last update - 11:51 25/11/2009
Lieberman: PA playing ugly 'double game' with Israel
By Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Avigdor Lieberman 

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Monday accused the Palestinian Authority of playing an "ugly and double game," by seeking Israel's support in crushing Hamas while submitting simultaneous complaints to the international community.

"During Operation Cast Lead, the Palestinian Authority pressured us to crush Hamas," Lieberman told the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. "Then, a month later, they submitted a complaint against us to the International Criminal Court in The Hague."

Even before the Goldstone Commission published its damning report about Israel's offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, said Lieberman, "there were a thousand complaints against Israel at the ICC, a large number of them encouraged by the PA.
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Fatah, which runs the PA, was ousted by Hamas from Gaza in a bloody 2007 coup. Since then, the rival movements have been deeply divided and repeated attempts at reconciliation have failed.

With regard to the PA's suggestion that it would seek international support for a unilateral declaration of statehood, Lieberman said: "Any one-sided Palestinian move will be met with steps of our own."

"Whoever holds a unilateral policy with complete disregard for past accords," said Lieberman, "will get the same from us."

"Breach of accords will not go unanswered," he said.

According to Lieberman, Israel could not count on the Americans to veto any such Palestinian request to the UN Security Council.

"Nothing is certain when it comes to an American veto, but I think the Americans understand that these policies bury any chance of reaching peace, and I think that the U.S. would also find it uncomfortable to have to deal at the Security Council with recognition of a Palestinian state."

Lieberman also said he doubted the seriousness of Syrian President Bashar Assad's declared interest in renewing peace negotiations with Israel.

"[Assad] sends all sorts of signals," Lieberman told the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, pointing specifically to Syria's continued relations with Iran, the support it gives to Hamas and to the Jihad movement in Damascus.

"Israel says very clearly: We are prepared to discuss peace without preconditions and without edicts," said the foreign minister. "The Syrians have been offered the chance to join the European Union as an observer, yet of course they rejected that - not because of Israel, but because of their other considerations."


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      1.   See who`s talking about games!!! 14:39  |  Osama 16/11/09
      2.   Latest Israeli defence for Operation Cast Lead 14:52  |  Chris Linthwaite 16/11/09
      3.   I hate to admit it, but Lieberman may have a point here...:) 14:59  |  Swiss (Dino) 16/11/09
      4.   Abbas playing games 15:18  |  British Zionist 16/11/09
      5.   excuse me osama #1 15:26  |  chevy 16/11/09
      6.   double game 15:26  |  rm 16/11/09
      7.   # 1 OSAMA 15:51  |  Abuya 16/11/09
      8.   Even a clock without a working battery.. 16:06  |  The Northern Wind 16/11/09
      9.   Lieberman is a scandal-monger... also seeking scapegoats... 16:31  |  Esther 16/11/09
      10.   #2 Chris 16:42  |  The Mik 16/11/09
      11.   Chris Linthwaite & kind 17:04  |  Jew 16/11/09
      12.   Again, Lieberman may have a point here, but...... 17:15  |  Swiss (Dino) 16/11/09
      13.   #4, British Zionist - no hypocrisy whatsoever 17:58  |  Don Boston 16/11/09
      14.   #13 18:25  |  British Zionist 16/11/09
      15.   Mik #10... your contentions replete with fallacies... 18:29  |  Esther 16/11/09
      16.   #13 Not so easy to aim thousands of armed thieves hiding behind 18:42  |  Dan 16/11/09
      17.   #11 18:54  |  Chris linthwaite 16/11/09
      18.   This is so funny 18:57  |  Ivor Biggun 16/11/09
      19.   Fools rush in where angels fear to tread 19:24  |  zoe 16/11/09
      20.   Earth to Esther 19:32  |  SDHD 16/11/09
      21.   Don Boston`s lack of understanding 19:34  |  SDHD 16/11/09
      22.   Esther doesn`t understand Gandhi 19:36  |  SDHD 16/11/09
      23.   quite wrong, Linthwaite 19:44  |  Jew 16/11/09
      24.   To Chris #11 19:51  |  Josh 16/11/09
      25.   #13 Don Boston 20:57  |  lawyer 16/11/09
      26.   Mr.Lieberman,It`s no more ugly than your double games with thePA 21:15  |  Dutch 16/11/09
      27.   they learned from the Best 21:28  |  atmleb 16/11/09
      28.   chevy 21:34  |  america 16/11/09
      29.   #2 Chris Linthwaite 21:34  |  Plumbum 16/11/09
      30.   Chrisisanidiot 21:54  |  Cynic 16/11/09
      31.   Lieberman is an obstacle to Peace 22:08  |  John Q. Public 16/11/09
      32.   SDHD to Esther... 22:26  |  Silvienne 16/11/09
      33.   Silvienne, lack of oxygen? 22:34  |  SDHD 16/11/09
      34.   #29 Plumbum 22:39  |  Chris Linthwaite 16/11/09
      35.   #30 Cynic 22:45  |  Chris Linthwaite 16/11/09
      36.   Lieberman, the war-monger ... 23:50  |  American 16/11/09
      37.   Ah, well, SDHD is teaching us all to "understand"... 23:58  |  Esther 16/11/09
      38.   Lawyer- look it up; you`re wrong 00:00  |  Don Boston 17/11/09
      39.   SDHD - show evidence of this 00:03  |  Don Boston 17/11/09
      40.   arab hypocracy??!! Ja tell me about it... 00:53  |  syrian opinion 17/11/09
      41.   Don Boston on obscenity 21:35  |  SDHD 17/11/09
      42.   Don Boston on encouragement 21:38  |  SDHD 17/11/09
      43.   31John Q. Public, well said 08:07  |  Ben 18/11/09
      44.   Excuse me... 13:09  |  Pablo Luis 18/11/09
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