Liberman: Israel\’s standing in the world is in danger if we don\’t present a diplomatic initiative

 

Liberman\’s comments came ahead of an expected UN Security Council vote on Wednesday on a Palestinian proposal for a resolution recognizing a Palestinian state and forcing an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank within two years. In addition, the European Parliament is also set to vote on Palestinian state recognition.

 

The foreign minister said that all of these moves were part of a "diplomatic attack" by the Palestinians that Israel would have to face wisely and with strength.

 

"The State of Israel will not agree to accept Palestinian diktats," Liberman wrote on his Facebook page. He warned that such unilateral moves would only serve to make the situation on the ground worse.

 

He compared European states who were supporting unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state to "someone approaching a man holding a powder keg with a burning match."

 

Liberman said that the European nations\’ decisions to support unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state were driven by their own internal politics.

 

He vowed that Israel would respond to unilateral Palestinian moves with "meaningful steps on the ground and in the international arena."

 

However, the foreign minister added, in addition to these steps, Israel must also present its own diplomatic plan.

 

"We mustn\’t sit with our hands tied and only speak out about what we are against. The lack of an Israeli initiative will deteriorate our standing in the international arena, it will harm our relations with our allies in the Western world and it will harm our ability to stand up for what\’s important to us. Standing in place endangers Israel," he warned.

 

Liberman warned that the world was moving forward with steps that are endangering Israel\’s future while Israeli politicians are busy with electoral bickering and infighting.

 

"This is the reason that we must take the initiative and present an organized Israeli proposal. I have already presented my proposal – a multi-pronged regional agreement that will settle our relations with the Arab world, with the Palestinians and with Israeli Arabs – which I believe will bring stable relations with the Arab world and the Palestinians and strengthen Israel\’s standing as a Jewish state."

 

Liberman said that, in the current government, there was not a majority who would support this proposal, but that Israel must take some sort of initiative.

 

"The State of Israel cannot allow itself to be lead by the nose – we must initiate and lead the way," he concluded.