Avigdor Lieberman
From AICbackground
Foreign Minister of Israel
Quotes
“Oslo happened 14 years ago. We have since reached a dead end. The "road map" was adopted in 2003, and three-and-a-half years later the results are zero. The Israelis are today interested in security, the Palestinians in economic prosperity. As long as we cannot guarantee this to both sides, we will not have progress.“
"The peace process is based on three false basic assumptions; the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the main fact of instability in the Middle East, that the conflict is territorial and not ideological, and that the establishment of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders will end the conflict.”
"The conflict includes not only the Arabs in Judea, Samaria, and the Gaza Strip, but Israeli Arabs also. The linkage between the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli Arab population — it will destroy us, it is impossible. What is the logic of creating one and a half countries for one people and a half country for the Jewish people?"
“It is a dispute about our values. It is not about territory. The values in contention are those of the West versus those of the Islamists. It’s a fight between two civilizations.”
“Hezbollah henchmen in our country . . . they have to be put to trial like the Nazis in Nuremberg. When the leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, kills two Arab children with his rockets in Nazareth and the father declares his children to be martyrs and Nasrallah to be his brother; when the same father says Israel is guilty and then receives financial support from our National Insurance Institute, this is absurd.”
EARLY YEARS AND EDUCATION
You were born on June 5, 1958 in Kishinev, Moldavian SSR, Soviet Union. After migrating to Israel in 1978, you became extremely active in politics. You served in the Israeli Defense Forces, demonstrating your strong personality and dedication to your nation. You received your B.A. in social sciences and international relations from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
PUBLIC LIFE
You served as director-general for Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. With a significant amount of political power, you helped to create the Yisrael Beiteinu party. This right-wing party welcomes and significantly supports new Jewish immigrants. It is also wary of the Israeli Arab population and takes a hard-line stance on negotiations with the Palestinians. Your public contributions included work as the Secretary of the National Workers' Union in Jerusalem, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Information Industries, member of the Board of Directors of Economic Corporation of Jerusalem, and director of the Likud Movement. You also were the editor of the newspaper Yoman Yisraeli, a stepping stone for the future of your verbose career. In the 2009 elections, Yisrael Beitenu exceeded all expectations, finishing third, ahead of the venerable Labor Party. Owing to these results, you became the effective kingmaker, and were able to secure the Foerign Ministership in return for your party's participation in Benjamin Netanyahu's governing coalition. You are currently married with three children who reside in Israel.
BELIEFS AND POLICIES PERTAINING TO (OR RELEVANT TO) THE MIDDLE EAST
You strongly support the idea of Israel. You champion the rights of Israeli settlers. You worry about the presence of Arab Israelis within the Israeli (i.e. Jewish national state) border and their possible connections to radical and violent Arab groups. You label Hamas as a terrorist organization, and following the 2006 elections, you have voiced your concern about Hamas' power and a possible unity government that does not fully recognize Israel's right to existence. You think that the stall in the road map plan for the past 14 years represents its failure and that it's time to find a new path to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. However, you believe that the current method of unilateral withdrawals from territory just give away Israeli land and do not necessarily increase security. You think that many of the problems in the Middle East stem from insufficient leadership and the cultural differences in the region. Due to these deep cultural/historical differences, you think that Israelis and Arabs should be separated. Many find this idea controversial and even racist; however, you think that this is the only plan that will ensure security for both groups of people. In 2004, you developed a plan to separate the Israelis and the Arabs named the Lieberman plan. It outlined the exchange of territories and populations so that Arabs would live under Palestinian jurisdiction and Israelis, even settlers, would live under Israeli jurisdiction. This plan did not move past the planning stages, but it still angered the Israeli left as well as many Arabs in the region. Internationally, you desire to look to outside powers for support; you have even pushed to join NATO. In your new role in the government, you are in charge of Iranian issues. You take a hard line stance against Iran and will not rule out military action; in fact, you related the current issue of Iran to to the 1981 Iraqi situation when Israel bombed a nuclear reactor. That being said, you also recognize Iran to be a multinational problem and it does not seem that you will suggest unilateral military action.
DOMESTIC ISSUES OF CONCERN
Your currently serve as the Minister of Strategic Affairs and, since November 2006, as the Deputy Prime Minister of Israel. You are a very stern yet soft-spoken man. Many of your views are controversial. Your controversial political aura often involves the suggestion of military action. Because of your controversial views and comments, many people feel that you are a threat to the Knesset. For example, Ophir Pines-Paz, the Minister of Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, resigned from the Knesset after you officially joined in 2006. Your main supporters are Russian speaking Israelis and former members of the Likud party. You were the General Secretary of the Likud party from 1993-1996. You had many disagreements with the former Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, especially in regard to his disengagement strategy.
ROLE PLAYING NOTES
You often disagree with those in liberal or moderate political groups. Though you want to promote peace and nonviolence within the Middle East, you are willing to employ military action to obtain your desired goal. Some accuse you of inhumanity, racism, and treason; others see you as a champion of the rights of Jews and a believer in a true Jewish State. You certainly have a strong commitment to Israel and and a strong desire to seek a resolution to the Arab-Israeli Conflict. This resolution, however, is not to come at any cost, and must protect Israel from what you see as a profound threat from Arabs both within and without Israel.
REFERENCES:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6084362.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6078180.stm
http://electronicintifada.net/bytopic/people/658.shtml
