Avigdor Lieberman

Where in the World is Avigdor Lieberman?

Avigdor Lieberman is a man on many missions. Over the last few months, he has traveled far and wide, journeying to many areas of the world that have not ever seen, nor for a very long time, been graced with the presence of an Israeli Foreign Minister. 

If you build it, the state will come

This article originally appeared on The Guardian.

Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad's blueprint for what he has called "de facto Palestinian statehood" offers a new and important element to the quest for peace in the Middle East.

Ghajar: Problem and Solution

INSS Insight No. 123, August 9, 2009

During his recent visit to Ghajar, Foreign Minister Lieberman said that a wall should be built between the two sections of the village, located respectively in Israeli and Lebanese territory. He added that concern for security is the leading consideration in such a move. Before examining the advantages of such a measure, it would be wise to understand how Israel arrived at a situation in which people who consider themselves Syrian, yet carry Israeli identification cards, may be forced to live in Lebanon.

Russian Threat: Either Iran Will Buy the Missiles, or Israel Will

Russian officials have declared that Israel must buy missiles from Russia or arrange to have another country to do so in order to prevent the sale of advanced missiles to Iran.  Both the United States and Israel are concerned that the presence of this weapon in Iran could "damage the strategic balance in the Middle East".

Eli Bardenstein in Ma'ariv:

The Best Hope–Still?

Despite large obstacles, Obama is right to push the two-state solution 

A core element of President Barack Obama's much-anticipated speech in Cairo was an old idea: a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As expected, he argued strongly on its behalf, saying it "is in Israel's interest, Palestine's interest, America's interest, and the world's interest." He pledged to "personally pursue this outcome with all the patience and dedication that the task requires."

Avigdor Lieberman meets French FM and Clashes on Settlements

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman is still travelling through Europe.

Nadav Eyal reports in Ma'ariv:

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman arrived yesterday in London for a series of political meetings. He is to meet today with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband.

Israel's Arab Citizens and the State: Is the Relationship Changing?

Policy Developments During Olmert's Term and Prospects for the New Government

Regardless of how one views the legacy of former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert or his government, it is clear that significant developments in government policy vis-à-vis Israel's Palestinian-Arab citizens occurred in the course of his term. One can examine policy from two general perspectives. The first is a policy de jure perspective, comprised of statements, rhetoric, plans and programs; the second focuses on policy de facto, which is measured by real actions (and can therefore be measured only in retrospect). While examining Olmert's policy through the prism of both perspectives, we can see that his term between February 2006 and early 2009 can be described as positive. Here are a few examples to support this assessment.

Israelis Abroad: Lieberman in Paris, Peres and Netanyahu in Washington

President Barack Obama met last night in the White House with Israeli President Shimon Peres, "who told him that he did not oppose the administration's intention to engage in dialogue with Tehran," Israel Radio News reports today:

President Peres said that if this approach should be successful, that would be the best thing. The US president said that commitment to Israel's security is at the top of the administration's priorities.

A Palestinian View: Netanyahu is throwing obstacles in the way of peace

The election of Binyamin Netanyahu marked a new, intransigent phase in the recent history of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, not that the period before provided any serious opportunities for peacemaking. Even then, however, Netanyahu has managed to add to the burden of making peace by creating two new additional obstacles.

First he has skirted, so far, any clear commitment to the principle of two states as the basic framework for a solution to the conflict even though this is the position of not only most Palestinians and Israelis but of the international community.

Avigdor Lieberman in Europe

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman arrived in Rome yesterday for his first in a series of meetings that also take him to Paris,Berlin, and Prague. His trip is seen as an attempt to ease recent tensions between Israel and European states.  

Yedioth Ahronoth reports from Paris:

The trip, which is to be four days long, will begin in Italy, which is one of the countries most friendly to Israel at present in Europe.