Outspoken rightwinger to join Israeli coalition
· Lieberman appointment echoes public shift to right
· Labour leader appears resigned to PM's decision
Rory McCarthy in Jerusalem
Tuesday October 24, 2006
The Guardian
The Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, yesterday finally turned his back on the centrist agenda which brought him to power earlier this year by bringing into his coalition government one of the country's most outspoken rightwing politicians.
The return to government of Avigdor Lieberman, who has called for Israel's borders to be redrawn to exclude its Arab citizens, signals a more hawkish policy. He will be made a deputy prime minister with responsibility for "strategic threats", particularly Iran.
His sudden rise to power mirrors a shift to the right among the Israeli public in the wake of the Lebanon war.
"We are joining the government," said Mr Lieberman yesterday. His party, Yisrael Beiteinu (Our home Israel), emerged as the largest rightwing force in elections earlier this year. Its 11 seats in the Knesset will lift the coalition's majority up to 78 out of 120 seats. That should be enough to allow Mr Olmert to hold on to power.
The key platform of Mr Olmert's Kadima party - the "convergence" plan, removing some of the settlements in the West Bank and consolidating others - has been dead since the Lebanon conflict. But now he has in the government a politician who insists that even the settler outposts which Israel regards as "unauthorised" must stay.
Mr Lieberman's appointment comes amid a growing military operation in Gaza. Yesterday saw one of the most violent days in the past four months of Israeli incursions. Seven Palestinians were killed, including at least one senior militant, and another 20 were injured. Israeli and Palestinian human rights groups say at least 315 Palestinians have been killed since June. Some Israeli politicians and military commanders say they are considering a much bigger ground invasion to stop militants firing their rockets into Israel.
As well as calling for a "population exchange" to swap Arab Israeli villages for Israeli settlements, earlier this year Mr Lieberman, 48, called for the trial and execution of Arab Israeli MPs who met leaders of Hamas or Hizbullah or who refused to celebrate Israel's Independence Day, describing them as "collaborators".
His arrival in government presents the Labour party, also a key coalition member, with a dilemma. Amir Peretz, Labour leader and defence minister, who just a month ago opposed Mr Lieberman's entry into the government, now appears resigned to the decision.
Mr Lieberman has capitalised on the public's disaffection with this summer's war - combined with continued fighting in Gaza - that left many Israelis disillusioned with the idea of withdrawing from parts of the West Bank. "Maybe we should ask if we should go in a different direction," Mr Lieberman said yesterday.
Link:
Lieberman Steps Out of the Shadows
· Labour leader appears resigned to PM's decision
Rory McCarthy in Jerusalem
Tuesday October 24, 2006
The Guardian
The Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, yesterday finally turned his back on the centrist agenda which brought him to power earlier this year by bringing into his coalition government one of the country's most outspoken rightwing politicians.
The return to government of Avigdor Lieberman, who has called for Israel's borders to be redrawn to exclude its Arab citizens, signals a more hawkish policy. He will be made a deputy prime minister with responsibility for "strategic threats", particularly Iran.
His sudden rise to power mirrors a shift to the right among the Israeli public in the wake of the Lebanon war.
"We are joining the government," said Mr Lieberman yesterday. His party, Yisrael Beiteinu (Our home Israel), emerged as the largest rightwing force in elections earlier this year. Its 11 seats in the Knesset will lift the coalition's majority up to 78 out of 120 seats. That should be enough to allow Mr Olmert to hold on to power.
The key platform of Mr Olmert's Kadima party - the "convergence" plan, removing some of the settlements in the West Bank and consolidating others - has been dead since the Lebanon conflict. But now he has in the government a politician who insists that even the settler outposts which Israel regards as "unauthorised" must stay.
Mr Lieberman's appointment comes amid a growing military operation in Gaza. Yesterday saw one of the most violent days in the past four months of Israeli incursions. Seven Palestinians were killed, including at least one senior militant, and another 20 were injured. Israeli and Palestinian human rights groups say at least 315 Palestinians have been killed since June. Some Israeli politicians and military commanders say they are considering a much bigger ground invasion to stop militants firing their rockets into Israel.
As well as calling for a "population exchange" to swap Arab Israeli villages for Israeli settlements, earlier this year Mr Lieberman, 48, called for the trial and execution of Arab Israeli MPs who met leaders of Hamas or Hizbullah or who refused to celebrate Israel's Independence Day, describing them as "collaborators".
His arrival in government presents the Labour party, also a key coalition member, with a dilemma. Amir Peretz, Labour leader and defence minister, who just a month ago opposed Mr Lieberman's entry into the government, now appears resigned to the decision.
Mr Lieberman has capitalised on the public's disaffection with this summer's war - combined with continued fighting in Gaza - that left many Israelis disillusioned with the idea of withdrawing from parts of the West Bank. "Maybe we should ask if we should go in a different direction," Mr Lieberman said yesterday.
Link:
Lieberman Steps Out of the Shadows
posted by HRM Deborah of Israel and the Messenger of Peace at 5:59 PM
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