Middle East Peace

September 20, 2010

Lieberman

“Being an optimist, I do not see any chance for the Palestinian state to be established before the year 2012. We can dream, but the reality in this region indicates that we are still far away from the level of understanding and agreement required for the establishment of an independent state.”

—Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman

Regev

“We haven’t just talked about peace, we’ve done tangible steps. This coalition under Prime Minister Netanyahu has initiated an official policy of two states for two peoples. This coalition under Prime Minister Netanyahu has led to the taking down of more road blocks, more barriers than ever before, allowing the West Bank economy to grow by some 8.5 percent in 2009. This coalition under Prime Minister Netanyahu instituted for the first time a settlement freeze in the West Bank…So let’s be clear here—This government has shown that it’s serious about peace.”

—Mark Regev, Prime Minister’s Office spokesman

Abbas

“We don't accept the statement [of Hamas]: a [Palestinian] state of resistance[terror]and refusal [to talk to Israel]. What we hear from everyone is that the basis is ‘negotiations.’ At a time that the entire world agrees about this [non-violence], despite [or because of] the absence of other options [violence is no real option with Israel in control of PA cities], we either have negotiations or no negotiations…We are unable to confront Israel militarily, and this point was discussed at the Arab League Summit…I said: 'If you want war, and if all of you will fight Israel, we are in favor. But the Palestinians will not fight alone because they don't have the ability to do it…The West Bank was completely destroyed, and we will not agree that it will be destroyed again.”

—PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, translated by the Palestinian Media Watch

Photo License: Photos by Isranet