By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Avigdor Lieberman, also chairman of the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party, announced his party’s departure from the coalition on Wednesday, still leaving Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in command of a majority in the Knesset (Parliament).
At a press conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday morning, Lieberman announced his decision, saying that he was resigning his office and that his party was leaving the coalition.
“I made it clear that if core issues are discussed, we would leave,” Lieberman said to reporters, adding that “It is clear to everyone that nothing will come of peace talks.”
He insisted that any agreement based on the return of territories is an obvious mistake.
Lieberman said that peace talks must address the issue of transferring the Israeli Arab population to be under Palestinian control.
“From our point of view, the concept of land for peace is out of the question,” said Lieberman. “The principle must be exchanges of territory and population.”
“Our problem is not with the Palestinians, it is with Israeli Arabs,” he said. “(Israeli Arab lawmakers) Ahmed Tibi and Mohammed Barakeh are more dangerous than (Damascus-based Hamas leader Khaled) Meshal and (Hezbollah leader Hassan) Nasrallah, because they operate from within.”
But Lieberman ruled out the possibility of his party forming a bloc with opposition party Likud, saying that “There is no chance that we will unite with Likud.”
The Yisrael Beiteinu party clinches 11 seats in the 120-member Knesset and Olmert’s governing coalition will still have 67 seats after the defection.
Lieberman threatened last week that it would quit the government if negotiations with the Palestinians began on the core issues of Jerusalem, borders and the refugees.
Such talks were formally launched on Monday, prompting Lieberman to demand a meeting with Olmert.
During their meeting, Lieberman asked Olmert for clarifications regarding the government’s diplomatic path, particularly with regards to “core issues” pertaining to talks with the Palestinians.
The prime minister told Lieberman that he was interested in reaching an agreement with the Palestinians on the basis of the Road Map peace plan.
Olmert, however, said that Israel will not compromise on its security needs and that no progress will be made as long as the Palestinians fail to meet their obligations with regards to security issues.