Abbas bashes Israel to boost self

JPOST

UNITED NATIONS – Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has lost his legitimacy to speak on behalf of the Palestinian people, and his strident rhetoric at the United Nations is an effort to improve his domestic status, Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman said Monday.

Liberman, at a brief press conference in the halls of the UN an hour before Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was to address the General Assembly, characterized Abbas’s UN speech last week as a “message of hate and incitement.”

“It is clear that he has no intention to make peace with Israel,” Liberman said.

Questioning Abbas’ ability to speak on behalf of the Palestinians, Liberman said that not only does he have no control over the Gaza Strip, but that he has also postponed Palestinian parliamentary and presidential elections for more than four years.

“The problem with Mr. Mahmoud Abbas is that he is always insulted, and remembers every slight inflicted upon him since he was born. That is not the way to build credibility with your partners,” he said.

Liberman said that Abbas has “lost connection with reality” and “shoots in all directions.”

Regarding whether Israel would do anything to initiate a comprehensive agreement, Liberman said that for this you need not only good will but also a partner on the other side.

“As long as there is not a partner on the other side,” he said, “it is impossible to stand with a stopwatch and place pressure on ourselves. I suggest that we be patient. We are willing to go for a serious, comprehensive solution, but as long as there is no partner, this will remain on the shelf,” the foreign minister said.

Asked about the negotiations with Iran, Liberman said that if Iran does achieve nuclear capabilities, the immediate result will be a nuclear arms race in the whole Middle East. He said that Israel was following closely and monitoring the developments, and keeping “all options on the table.”