Lieberman: Israel Will Renounce All Deals if Palestinians Seek Statehood

If Vote Goes Ahead, FM Warns, Israel Will Violate Past Deals

Speaking today to EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in Jerusalem, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman vowed to renounce every single past agreement the nation of Israel had ever made if the United Nations voted on Palestinian statehood.

Lieberman insisted that such a vote would mean the Palestinians were in violation of every single deal they ever made,and that Israel would no longer honor any of those deals going forward.

Which must inevtably raise the question “how will anyone know the difference.” Indeed those past agreements, particularly the Oslo Accords, have been publicly condemned by Israeli and Palestinian officials alike, and Israel has, since the peace talks were abandoned in September, insisted that peace is “impossible.”

Most of the deals between the two factions are about minor practical issues like the transfer of tax money collected and Israel has regularly violated those agreements at any rate. While Lieberman’s comments are aimed at presenting a philosphical opposition to Palestine as a serious issue, it is unclear exactly how much practical difference it will make, particularly with a far-right coalition governing Israel and the Palestinians moving toward elections.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.