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==Controversy and Allegations of Anti-Arab Racism==
==Controversy and Allegations of Anti-Arab Racism==
Lieberman advocates giving the Palestinian Authority Arab-Israeli towns near the West Bank and having Arabs who remain Israeli citizens take loyalty tests.<ref name=TEST>[http://www.economist.com/world/displaystory.cfm?story_id=5654988 Israel's new politics: Shutting itself in, hoping for the best] (subscribers-only access), [[The Economist]], March 23, 2006.</ref>. In 2002, at the height of the Palestinian [[al-Aqsa Intifada]], the Israeli daily [[Yedioth Ahronoth]] quoted Lieberman in a Cabinet meeting saying that the Palestinians should be given an ultimatum that "At 8am we'll bomb all the commercial centers...at noon we'll bomb their gas stations...at two we'll bomb their banks....”<ref>Paul Peachey: [http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article191213.ece We risk charges of war crimes, Peres tells Cabinet] [[The Independent]], March 7, 2002.</ref> In 2003, [[Haaretz|Ha'aretz]] reported that Lieberman called for thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel to be drowned in the [[Dead Sea]] and offered to provide the buses to take them there.<ref>Gideon Alon: [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=315541 Lieberman blasted for suggesting drowning Palestinian prisoners] [[Haaretz|Ha'aretz]], July 8, 2006.</ref> In May 2004, he said that 90 percent of Israel's one million Arabs would "have to find a new Arab entity"<ref>[http://www.dawn.com/2004/05/28/int8.htm Population swap suggested in ME] [[Reuters]], May 27, 2004.</ref> in which to live beyond Israel's borders. "They have no place here. They can take their bundles and get lost," he said.<ref name=OLMERT_COLLEAGUE/>
In May 2004, Liberman, a right wing politician, called for a population swap involving minority Arabs living in Israel and Jewish settlers living in occupied territories; Liberman added that he was ready to evacuate his West Bank settlement home in Nokdim to achieve this proposal. However, Israel's opposition left, Israeli Arabs and Palestinian Arabs consider transfer proposals as racist and raise allegations that such propositions could excise minority rights.<ref>[http://www.dawn.com/2004/05/28/int8.htm Population swap suggested in ME] [[Reuters]], May 27, 2004.</ref>


In November 2006, Lieberman called for the execution of any Arab Members of Knesset who meet with representatives of the Palestinian government, saying, "[[World War II]] ended with the Nuremberg trials. The heads of the Nazi regime, along with their collaborators, were executed. I hope this will be the fate of the collaborators in [the Knesset]."<ref>[http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1145961280390 Lieberman calls Arab MKs who meet with Hamas 'collaborators'] [[Jerusalem Post]], May 4, 2006.</ref> In response, Arab Israeli Knesset member [[Ahmed Tibi]], demanded that "a criminal investigation be initiated against Lieberman for violating the law against incitement and racism".<ref name=NAZI>[http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3323027,00.html Prosecution: Lieberman's anti-Arab remarks kosher] [[Yedioth Ahronoth|Ynetnews]], November 2, 2006.</ref> Lieberman was cleared of racism charges by the Israeli Deputy State prosecutor, while admitting that the office objected to the content of his statement. Tibi strongly objected to Lieberman's ministerial appointment, describing him as "a racist and a fascist". Labor minister [[Ophir Pines-Paz]], who resigned over Lieberman's appointment, echoed Tibi's remarks, saying that Lieberman was tainted "by racist declarations and declarations that harm the democratic character of Israel".<ref name=CHARACTER>[http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article1943313.ece Labour minister quits over Lieberman's role] [[The Independent]], October 31, 2006.</ref>
In November 2006, Lieberman called for the execution of any Arab Members of Knesset who meet with representatives of the Palestinian government, saying, "[[World War II]] ended with the Nuremberg trials. The heads of the Nazi regime, along with their collaborators, were executed. I hope this will be the fate of the collaborators in [the Knesset]."<ref>[http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1145961280390 Lieberman calls Arab MKs who meet with Hamas 'collaborators'] [[Jerusalem Post]], May 4, 2006.</ref> In response, Arab Israeli Knesset member [[Ahmed Tibi]], demanded that "a criminal investigation be initiated against Lieberman for violating the law against incitement and racism".<ref name=NAZI>[http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3323027,00.html Prosecution: Lieberman's anti-Arab remarks kosher] [[Yedioth Ahronoth|Ynetnews]], November 2, 2006.</ref> He called Lieberman "a very dangerous and sophisticated politician who has won his support through race hatred." Lieberman was cleared of racism charges by the Israeli Deputy State prosecutor, while admitting that the office objected to the content of his statement. Tibi strongly objected to Lieberman's ministerial appointment, describing him as "a racist and a fascist". Labor minister [[Ophir Pines-Paz]], who resigned over Lieberman's appointment, echoed Tibi's remarks, saying that Lieberman was tainted "by racist declarations and declarations that harm the democratic character of Israel".<ref name=CHARACTER>[http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article1943313.ece Labour minister quits over Lieberman's role] [[The Independent]], October 31, 2006.</ref>


In remarks aimed at Arab MKs during a Knesset session on March 10th 2008, Lieberman said that "a new administration will be established and then we will take care of you."<ref>Shahar Ilan:Lieberman to Arab MKs: One day we will 'take care of you'[http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/962767.html]</ref> The comments came just a few days after he held Arab MKs culpable for the March 6th attack at Jerusalem's Mercaz Harav yeshiva. At the time he stated,"yesterday's attack can not be disconnected from the Arab MKs incitement, which we hear daily in the Knesset."<ref>Haaretz Service:Lieberman: Jerusalem attack is product of Arab MK incitement [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/961964.html] </ref>
In remarks aimed at Arab MKs during a Knesset session on March 10th 2008, Lieberman said that "a new administration will be established and then we will take care of you."<ref>Shahar Ilan:Lieberman to Arab MKs: One day we will 'take care of you'[http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/962767.html]</ref> The comments came just a few days after he held Arab MKs culpable for the March 6th attack at Jerusalem's Mercaz Harav yeshiva. At the time he stated,"yesterday's attack can not be disconnected from the Arab MKs incitement, which we hear daily in the Knesset."<ref>Haaretz Service:Lieberman: Jerusalem attack is product of Arab MK incitement [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/961964.html] </ref>

Revision as of 07:16, 28 March 2008

Template:MKs Avigdor Levi Lieberman (Hebrew: אביגדור ליברמן), also Liberman (born on 5 June 1958 in Kishinev, Moldavian SSR, Soviet Union) is an Israeli politician and leader of the Yisrael Beiteinu party.

In October 2006, Lieberman and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert signed a coalition agreement. Under the agreement, Lieberman became the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Strategic Affairs, a new position with a focus towards the strategic threat from Iran.[1] However, he left the cabinet when Yisrael Beiteinu resigned from the coalition in January 2008.

Biography

Lieberman worked as a nightclub bouncer in Moldavia[2] and as a broadcaster in Baku, Azerbaijan before emigrating to Israel in 1978 at the age of 21. In Israel he served in the Israel Defense Forces, and received a BA in International Relations and Political Science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

From 1983 to 1988 Lieberman helped found the Zionist Forum for Soviet Jewry and was a member of the Board of the Jerusalem Economic Corporation and the Secretary of the Jerusalem branch of the Histadrut Ovdim Le'umit ("National Workers' Union"). From 1993 to 1996 he served as Director-General of the Likud party, and from 1996 to 1997 was Director-General of the Prime Minister's office. In 1999, he founded and led the Yisrael Beiteinu party, and was the editor of the newspaper Yoman Yisraeli. Support for Yisrael Beiteinu largely comes from immigrants from the former Soviet Union countries, disenchanted former Likud voters and some Druze. Lieberman supports Israeli membership of the European Union and NATO.[3]

Lieberman was elected to the Knesset in 1999, and served as Chairman of the Israel-Moldova Parliamentary Friendship League. In March 2001, Lieberman was appointed as Israel's Minister of National Infrastructures, but resigned the post in March 2002. In February 2003 he was appointed Minister of Transportation, but was sacked from the Cabinet by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in May 2004.

Lieberman is married, with three children, and resides in Nokdim in the West Bank.

Lieberman Plan

Main article: Lieberman Plan

In late May 2004, Lieberman proposed a plan in which the populations and territories of Jews and Arabs, including some Israeli Arabs, would be "separated". According to the plan, Israeli Arab town adjacent to Palestinian Authority areas would be transferred to Palestinian Authority, and only those Arabs who felt a connection with the State of Israel and were loyal to it would be allowed to remain. On May 30 Prime Minister Ariel Sharon condemned Lieberman's statements, stating "We regard Israeli Arabs as part of the State of Israel."[4] On 4 June 2004, as the disputes over the up-coming disengagement plan grew more intense, Sharon dismissed Lieberman from the cabinet.[5][6]

Many[who?] Israelis see Lieberman's plan as a form of forced population transfer similar to proposals by the far-right Israeli political parties such as Moledet, Herut or Hayil.[citation needed] Though Lieberman's plan would not uproot Arab residents from their homes, it would forcibly revoke their Israeli citizenship and transfer their sovereignty to the Palestinian Authority. The plan has drawn sharp criticism from both Left and Right of Israeli politics; by the former for its discriminatory overtones, and by the latter for the idea of ceding parts of the Land of Israel.[citation needed]

According to Lieberman, "The peace process is based on three false basic assumptions; that Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the main cause 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."[7]

Popularity and constituency

In a poll published by Yedioth Ahronoth on September 21, 2006, Lieberman had more support than any other politician except for Netanyahu to be the next Prime Minister of Israel. Olmert came in fifth with 7%.[8] Some Druze support Lieberman, one third of the Druze holding Israeli citizenship and living in Golan Heights voted for him.[9] The majority of his constituency are secular Russian-speaking Israelis as well as former Likud supporters, who feel that party has drifted from its founding Jabotinskian principles.

Controversy and Allegations of Anti-Arab Racism

Lieberman advocates giving the Palestinian Authority Arab-Israeli towns near the West Bank and having Arabs who remain Israeli citizens take loyalty tests.[10]. In 2002, at the height of the Palestinian al-Aqsa Intifada, the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth quoted Lieberman in a Cabinet meeting saying that the Palestinians should be given an ultimatum that "At 8am we'll bomb all the commercial centers...at noon we'll bomb their gas stations...at two we'll bomb their banks....”[11] In 2003, Ha'aretz reported that Lieberman called for thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel to be drowned in the Dead Sea and offered to provide the buses to take them there.[12] In May 2004, he said that 90 percent of Israel's one million Arabs would "have to find a new Arab entity"[13] in which to live beyond Israel's borders. "They have no place here. They can take their bundles and get lost," he said.[14]

In November 2006, Lieberman called for the execution of any Arab Members of Knesset who meet with representatives of the Palestinian government, saying, "World War II ended with the Nuremberg trials. The heads of the Nazi regime, along with their collaborators, were executed. I hope this will be the fate of the collaborators in [the Knesset]."[15] In response, Arab Israeli Knesset member Ahmed Tibi, demanded that "a criminal investigation be initiated against Lieberman for violating the law against incitement and racism".[16] He called Lieberman "a very dangerous and sophisticated politician who has won his support through race hatred." Lieberman was cleared of racism charges by the Israeli Deputy State prosecutor, while admitting that the office objected to the content of his statement. Tibi strongly objected to Lieberman's ministerial appointment, describing him as "a racist and a fascist". Labor minister Ophir Pines-Paz, who resigned over Lieberman's appointment, echoed Tibi's remarks, saying that Lieberman was tainted "by racist declarations and declarations that harm the democratic character of Israel".[17]

In remarks aimed at Arab MKs during a Knesset session on March 10th 2008, Lieberman said that "a new administration will be established and then we will take care of you."[18] The comments came just a few days after he held Arab MKs culpable for the March 6th attack at Jerusalem's Mercaz Harav yeshiva. At the time he stated,"yesterday's attack can not be disconnected from the Arab MKs incitement, which we hear daily in the Knesset."[19]

Coalition agreement

On 23 October 2006, the coalition agreement with Kadima placed coalition junior partner Labour party in an uneasy state, as many in the party expressed opposition to having Lieberman sit in the government. Minister of Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ophir Pines-Paz responded by saying that "a minister of strategic affairs is a joke. Lieberman is himself a strategic threat," saying "I will do everything in my power to prevent the entry of that party into the government."[1] On October 29, the Labour central committee, however, approved Lieberman's entrance to the cabinet. On October 30, the Knesset voted in support of Lieberman joining the government 61 to 38. Ophir Pines-Paz, who led the opposition camp in the Labour party announced his resignation.[20] However, the party left the coalition on 16 January 2008 in protest at peace talks with the Palestinian National Authority.[21]

References

  1. ^ a b PM, Lieberman sign coalition deal Ynetnews, October 23, 2006.
  2. ^ The Father of Palestine (subscribers-only access), The New Republic, Wednesday 13 February, 2008.
  3. ^ Avigdor Lieberman: Israel should press to join NATO, EU, Ha'aretz, January 1, 2007.
  4. ^ Lieberman presents to Russia plan to expel 'disloyal' Arabs Ha'aretz, May 30, 2004.
  5. ^ PM sacks National Union ministers, Ha'aretz, June 5, 2004.
  6. ^ Sharon sacks hardliners who stand in his way The Guardian, June 5, 2004.
  7. ^ Lieberman: The unfaithful cannot be citizens Ynetnews, December 10, 2006.
  8. ^ Nobody's citizens Ynetnews, October 16, 2006.
  9. ^ Israel's new politics: Shutting itself in, hoping for the best (subscribers-only access), The Economist, March 23, 2006.
  10. ^ Paul Peachey: We risk charges of war crimes, Peres tells Cabinet The Independent, March 7, 2002.
  11. ^ Gideon Alon: Lieberman blasted for suggesting drowning Palestinian prisoners Ha'aretz, July 8, 2006.
  12. ^ Population swap suggested in ME Reuters, May 27, 2004.
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference OLMERT_COLLEAGUE was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Lieberman calls Arab MKs who meet with Hamas 'collaborators' Jerusalem Post, May 4, 2006.
  15. ^ Prosecution: Lieberman's anti-Arab remarks kosher Ynetnews, November 2, 2006.
  16. ^ Labour minister quits over Lieberman's role The Independent, October 31, 2006.
  17. ^ Shahar Ilan:Lieberman to Arab MKs: One day we will 'take care of you'[1]
  18. ^ Haaretz Service:Lieberman: Jerusalem attack is product of Arab MK incitement [2]
  19. ^ Olmert gets hardline partner United Press International, October 30, 2006.
  20. ^ Lieberman blasts Arab MKs, pulls party out of government Ha'aretz, January 16, 2008.

External links

Template:Yisrael Beiteinu Knesset members


Template:Persondata

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