1. Lieberman's attitude to an Israel-Palestinian two-state solution

Lieberman's views on a two-state solution cannot be separated from those of the Government, and at the time of writing this Briefing, the Government is formulating a new foreign policy. Nevertheless, there have already been various indicators of what he actually believes on this issue:-

• On taking office as Foreign Minister on 31 March 2009, Lieberman immediately declared the Annapolis negotiating process with the Palestinians to be "invalid". Lieberman has been widely criticised internationally for that statement. In fact, in the same breath, Lieberman freshly committed Israel to the 'Road Map' diplomatic process which is designed to achieve a two-state solution (for more see Beyond Images Briefing 238, 5 April 2009)
• At the beginning of May, Daniel Ayalon, who is the deputy Foreign Minister, and Lieberman's right-hand man in Israel Beiteinu, confirmed this when he stated that the Israeli Government "accepts the 'Road Map' for peace which will lead to a two-state solution...." (interview in the Jerusalem Post, 3 May 2009)
• In February 2009, Lieberman told the New York Jewish Week: "I advocate the creation of a viable Palestinian state....." (reported by the Jerusalem Post, 27 February 2009)
• In February Lieberman stated in an interview with the Washington Post online that he would be willing to vacate the West Bank settlement in which he lives - called Nokdim - for a peace agreement with the Palestinians (reported by Haaretz, 1 March 2009). He has made that statement publicly on previous occasions
• In April 2009, in an interview with the Jerusalem Post, Lieberman was asked for his views on the statement by Prime Minister Netanyahu, made during Netanyahu's acceptance speech as Prime Minister in the Israeli Parliament, that Israel "does not want to rule over any Palestinians". Lieberman responded: "I agree absolutely" (Jerusalem Post, 28 April 2009)

Lieberman's diplomatic approach is certainly different from that of his predecessor. And he considers that too much diplomacy is filled with slogans, rather than addressing the real, core issues of the conflict (see his Jerusalem Post interview of 28 April 2009). Nonetheless, as the above statements indicate, Lieberman does not reject a two-state solution. He advocates a different way of achieving it. These are not the views of a diehard ultra-nationalist, but of a tough-talking pragmatist...