“Mid-East conference with Hamas or Hezbollah impossible” –Israeli FM
Published: 03 June, 2009, 16:35
TAGS: Conflict, Meeting, Politics
Israel will not attend a Middle East conference in Moscow if Hamas or Hezbollah are invited, says Israel's Foreign Minister, Avigdor Lieberman.
“We will not take part in any conference, either in Washington or Moscow, in which Hamas and Hezbollah take part,” Lieberman said at a news conference on Wednesday, during a two-day visit to Moscow to meet his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.
He also said the agenda of the conference will become clear after U.S. President Barack Obama visits Russia in July, adding that in any case it should be determined in advance.
Lieberman stated that Israel is ready to accept the Arab peace initiative, if no provision on refugees is added.
“The Arab peace initiative contains a point which is absolutely unacceptable for us. This is Resolution 194 on [the return of] refugees. We're ready to accept the Arab peace initiative without this point," the Israeli foreign minister said.
"It is their problem that the Arab world artificially holds Palestinian refugees and does not allow them to develop. Given the financial resources owned by the Arab world – the [United Arab] Emirates and Saudi Arabia – and given its colossal territories, solving the problem of Palestinian refugees within the Arab world should not encounter any difficulties," he added.
Talks between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority stalled, following an Israeli offensive on Gaza from December 27, 2008 to January 22, 2009. It left some 1,300 Palestinians dead and 5,000 others injured.
President Obama has pushed for a two-state solution to the conflict, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for a tougher stance toward the Palestinians, in contrast to his predecessor Ehud Olmert's support for Palestinian statehood.
On the issue of Iran, Lieberman said Israel has no plans to bomb the country and that the Iranian nuclear program, which is destabilizing the entire region, should chiefly concern Arab countries.
“Nobody will resolve their problems by our hands. We don't need this. Israel is a strong country, and we will be able to defend ourselves,” Lieberman said, explaining Israel’s stance.
03.06.2009, 14:18
ROAR: Russian Opinion and Analytics Review, June 3On Wednesday, Russian press reports on the thawing of relations between the US and Iran, new aspects of the Opel sell, and the possible independence of Greenland following a parliamentary election. |
03.06.2009, 20:03
Crisis complicates Russia’s relations with BelarusRussian President Dmitry Medvedev labeled as ‘undiplomatic’ comments made by the Belarusian president. This is the latest accusation in a recent war of words between Moscow and Minsk. |
The State of Israel was created after WWII with the help of the British in order to police the region with full support of USA. Before then the Zionists were dispersed through out Europe and America. One would think that they(Jews) would understand the notion of homelessness. How dare you kick out the Palestinians from their homes, and send them to a refugee camp, and ask the Arab world to take care of them. Mr. Lieberman should be ashamed of himself in supporting this issue. He is none other than a Political-Pimp who would sell his mother to be noticed in the political arena. There will never be peace when dealing with Zionists as long as they believe their blood is more red than then rest of humanity. I beg Mr. Lavrov and Mr. Putin to visit these camps and see the conditions the Palestinian refugees are living, and maybe then they can have a better understanding of the issues when talking to their Israeli counterparts. Lets be humans before anything else.