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Last update - 15:22 19/02/2009
Kurtzer: Netanyahu-Lieberman is 'bad combination' for U.S.
By Natasha Mozgovaya, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Daniel Kurtzer 

Daniel Kurtzer, the former U.S. ambassador to Israel, said on Tuesday that a government led by Benjamin Netanyahu that also included Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman would be a "bad combination for American interests."

"It would be much more difficult for the right-wing even with determined American leadership to advance the peace process," Kurtzer said. "Not impossible, but very difficult."

The U.S. official position is that it looks forward to "working with any government," but in back-channel messages the Obama administration has made it clear it would like to see a Likud-Kadima unity government in Jerusalem over a narrow right-wing government which would in all likelihood result in a freeze in peace talks with the Palestinians.
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The former envoy added that the Obama administration would find it politically risky to embrace a government that included Lieberman, who has voiced controversial views about Arabs.

"There will be an image problem for an American administration to support a government that includes a politician who was defined as racist," Kurtzer said during an appearance at Georgetown University. "But the Israeli system doesn't respond well to perceptions of outside parties," he said.

Kurtzer, who was speaking at an event examining the U.S. perspective on the Gaza conflict, said the peace process will be on hold as Israel spends the next five weeks attempting to cobble together a stable coalition.

He added that the recent Israeli operation in the Gaza Strip had tacit support from Arab regimes who are fearful of growing Iranian influence.

"Israel was in a fact an instrument, a tool of the moderate Sunni majority in the Middle East that sought to push back Shia [influence]," Kurtzer said. "There was great anger at Hamas's means of governance in Gaza. To be sure, there was as well a great split in the Arab world between the Arab street and the governing circles. About week three of the war the pressure from the street was too much even for those regimes. But it'll be interesting over time to see over time if what we saw in the first two weeks of the war to characterize Arab government behavior."

Meanwhile, two Massachusetts professors, Dennis Gaitsgory, a mathematician from Harvard University, and MIT Professor Josh Tenenbaum this week launched an online petition entitled "No government with Lieberman," calling on the next Israeli prime minister to cease courting the Yisrael Beiteinu leader.

The petition is addressed to the leaders of Kadima and Likud, the two factions with the best chance to cobble together a coalition.

"As friends of Israel and supporters of Israeli democracy, we say: Don't do it!" the petition reads. "Through his platform and his rhetoric, Mr. Lieberman threatens Israeli society with the darkness of race-baiting, demagoguery and ultra-nationalism.

"We respect the right of Israeli citizens to elect their own political leaders. Yet as supporters of a democratic state, we cannot remain silent at this crucial time."

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      1.   Kurtzer - Bad for Israel 01:04  |  Tod Zuckerman 18/02/09
      2.   Because of Obama pressure 01:04  |  Rabbi Yakov Lazaros 18/02/09
      3.   ex envoy 01:14  |  dov koret 18/02/09
      4.   Actually, Obama would love Lieberman 01:24  |  Colin Wright 18/02/09
      5.   Kurtzer is fuming at his own demise 01:29  |  Mike Malkovitch 18/02/09
      6.   No to Kurtzer 01:35  |  Brod 18/02/09
      7.   Fair enough 01:39  |  Irishman in Paris 18/02/09
      8.   I`m not thrilled about the US administration. 01:47  |  Great White North 18/02/09
      9.   Fair enough 01:48  |  Irishman in Paris 18/02/09
      10.   I think that right wing is the ONLY solution to put preassure 01:57  |  Ester 18/02/09
      11.   The World is shifting left and to the center 02:04  |  American 18/02/09
      12.   Bibi-Lieberman 02:20  |  James H. Joseph 18/02/09
      13.   Iran is bad for US 02:22  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 18/02/09
      14.   "It`s the economy stupid!" 02:26  |  Irishman in Paris 18/02/09
      15.   PEACE PROCESS 02:40  |  DAVID 18/02/09
      16.   Dissolve the people and elect another? 03:08  |  Realist 18/02/09
      17.   Weak Opinion of a small person with Poor knowledge 03:12  |  Joseph.E 18/02/09
      18.   right wing is the only solution 03:36  |  gideon 18/02/09
      19.   Obama is putting preassure on Israel and demands for Livni 03:51  |  Abe 18/02/09
      20.   Don`t need US Security Council veto? Fine. 03:52  |  binny 18/02/09
      21.   Other nation.. 04:02  |  Ernie P. 18/02/09
      22.   #11: World not shifting to left and center, are you nuts?! 04:22  |  Eric 18/02/09
      23.   US got bigger worries than Lieberman 05:19  |  Z 18/02/09
      24.   To American 06:29  |  Proud Jew 18/02/09
      25.   To Gideon 06:38  |  Proud Jew 18/02/09
      26.   #16, binny 07:13  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 18/02/09
      27.   lincoln`s my favourite read 07:56  |  shallowthroat 18/02/09
      28.   Netanyahu-Lieberman gov`t is `bad combination` for U.S.? 07:57  |  Natallie Durson 18/02/09
      29.   Fouling up on their own `spin` 08:35  |  Ilan 18/02/09
      30.   Au contraire, Mr. Kurtzer~ NOW US free to back the Saudi Plan 08:57  |  Ivar 18/02/09
      31.   and the left-wing has done better?? 09:38  |  observer 18/02/09
      32.   No, Dan - just not your plan 10:12  |  harry 18/02/09
      33.   Kurtzer`s Funny Quote 10:54  |  Proud Zionist 18/02/09
      34.   Harry, how right you are! 11:27  |  Zev Davis 18/02/09
      35.   Imagine Peace 11:36  |  Old Bill 18/02/09
      36.   Stop Interefering With Internal Israeli Politics 12:10  |  Baruch Gold 18/02/09
      37.   Israels think they can have their cake and eat it too 14:41  |  Noah 18/02/09
      38.   Daniel Kurzer`s comments. 14:56  |  David Nigel Braham 18/02/09
      39.   Is Kurtzer is a self loathing........or just a leftie? 16:06  |  r 18/02/09
      40.   mandate for israel 16:08  |  mark 18/02/09
      41.   Why not let the U.S./world see the true face of Israel 2009...??? 16:18  |  Swiss (Dino) 18/02/09
      42.   Let the Israel do what it wants and Obama do WHAT HE WANTS 16:20  |  American GI 18/02/09
      43.   Baruch Gold - Are you kidding? 16:23  |  US Man 18/02/09
      44.   It`s time for a foreign policy change in the US 16:41  |  Damon 18/02/09
      45.   Ignorance about Lieberman, 3rd try 17:46  |  Sceptic 18/02/09
      46.   Kurtzer-Carter-Washpost-State Department Attack 18:09  |  Isaac 18/02/09
      47.   Screw Israel 18:15  |  American Jew 18/02/09
      48.   Netanyahu-Lieberman Good for Obama 18:21  |  Bryan 18/02/09
      49.   Kurtzer Biblical Lesson - 18:44  |  Avraham 18/02/09
      50.   fair enough 18:59  |  Kodi 18/02/09
      51.   American interests 19:06  |  Gee 18/02/09
      52.   Swiss Dino - exactly wrong!! 19:16  |  Dr eric 18/02/09
      53.   Israel As A Pain In The Ass 19:18  |  Yaakov Sullivan 18/02/09
      54.   #13 Cipora Julianna Kohn, look a bit further back 20:22  |  Mark B. 18/02/09
      55.   We don` t need U.S. anymore 20:47  |  Italian Zionist 18/02/09
      56.   Isaac you are great- #46 21:01  |  Lisa 18/02/09
      57.   Kurtzer is so right 21:33  |  Moshe Landman 18/02/09
      58.   # 52 Dr Eric (2nd try) 21:34  |  Swiss (Dino) 18/02/09
      59.   #54, Mark B 22:27  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 18/02/09
      60.   #43 Baseless Points 23:00  |  Baruch Gold 18/02/09
      61.   #29 Ivar- Whose friend are you? 05:36  |  Braindead 19/02/09
      62.   Au contraire, Kurtzer 06:11  |  David 19/02/09
      63.   Kurtzer 10:33  |  peter simpson 19/02/09
      64.   Response to American GI, #42.~ moral relativism 11:26  |  drsanto 19/02/09
      65.   Response to American Jew, # 47 11:38  |  drsanto 19/02/09
      66.   Kurtzer and a Happy Israel 11:41  |  DT 19/02/09
      67.   Netanyahu has as much chance at being elected as Obama. 13:18  |  Murray of Montreal 19/02/09
      68.   Kurtzer the expert 15:01  |  Joe Notsixpack 19/02/09
      69.   drsanto - Are you kidding? 17:01  |  American GI 19/02/09
      70.   Cipora Kohn baseless claims of Israel being an ally of America 19:22  |  American in NY 19/02/09
      71.   cipora Kohn # 59 The Israeli harrasment of Marines in Lebanon 19:25  |  American in NY 19/02/09
      72.   What Peace Process ? 19:58  |  Emmaunel Goldstein 19/02/09
      73.   #69, ANY 21:37  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 19/02/09
      74.   #70, Arab in NY 21:41  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 19/02/09
      75.   Cipora Kohnhead # 73 YOU have a comprehension problem 04:10  |  American in NY 20/02/09
      76.   To Ester 07:17  |  Masr Amira 01/05/09
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