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Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman.
 (Alon Ron)
Last update - 04:02 09/03/2009
World takes dim view of Lieberman in FM post
By Natasha Mozgovoya, Assaf Uni and Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Obama, Netanyahu, Israel News 

American and European officials have thus far declined to comment publicly on the expected appointment of Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman as foreign minister. Behind the scenes, however, many officials are asking whether this appointment is really necessary - and newspapers on both continents are criticizing the move openly.

The official position in Washington is that Barack Obama's administration will work with whatever Israeli government is ultimately established. Beyond that, American officials are keeping mum.

But the "Lieberman question" continually arises in State Department briefings for journalists and in other forums. And opinion columns in the American press have presented Lieberman in an extremely negative light, with comparisons to Austria's Joerg Haider and even Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, (both use "ultranationalist rhetoric of hate," one paper charged).
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No American official is likely to convene a press conference publicly condemning Lieberman's appointment. However, such a choice will almost certainly encourage the U.S. administration to keep its distance from Benjamin Netanyahu's government, as Washington will not want to take the flak absorbed by demonstrating closeness to a government whose public face is widely considered to be a racist.

Moreover, the potential for conflict is already obvious. Even as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was in the region last week speaking of the importance of resuming Israeli-Syrian negotiations, Lieberman was publicly declaring that he saw no point in talking with Syrian President Bashar Assad as long as the latter continues to support anti-Israel terrorist organizations.

In Europe, too, officials are keeping quiet, but the matter has been widely discussed in the press.

"Avigdor Lieberman is an anti-diplomat," proclaimed an article in the French daily Le Figaro. "His divisive statements and his 'anti' attitude have helped him gain the image of a dangerous radical."

The German paper Suddeutsche Zeitung described Yisrael Beiteinu as an "anti-Arab" party, while the weekly Der Spiegel recalled on its web site that Lieberman had advocated using the same force in the Gaza Strip that Russia used in Chechnya.

European papers in general have reported widely on Lieberman's new role as kingmaker, and have reminded their readers of his statements in favor of transferring Israeli Arab towns to the Palestinian Authority and making Arab citizens of Israel swear a loyalty oath.

In the Arab world, there has also been no official reaction as yet to the possibility of Lieberman becoming foreign minister.

However, it is clear that this would cause great discomfort in the two Arab states with which Israel maintains diplomatic relations - Egypt and Jordan.

Jordan has refused for years to invite Israel's foreign minister to Amman, meaning Lieberman's appointment would not mark a change in Jordanian policy.

In Egypt, however, the change is liable to be more noticeable. Though senior Egyptian officials have refused to comment publicly on the matter on the grounds that it is an internal Israeli issue, in the past, several of them have described Lieberman as "racist" and "rude."

Cairo was particularly incensed by Lieberman's statement several years ago that should Arab countries launch an attack on Israel, Israel would be justified in responding by bombing Egypt's Aswan Dam, among other targets. Egypt was also infuriated by his statement in the Knesset last October that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak "could go to hell."

Asked at the time for a response to the latter, Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki told Haaretz that Lieberman's comments should not be dignified with a response.

Lieberman's "anti-Egyptian and anti-Arab sentiments," Zaki added, "are well known."


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      1.   The real face of Israel...why hide it 02:33  |  Ben 09/03/09
      2.   World takes dim view 02:35  |  mark 09/03/09
      3.   Up To Lieberman to Prove them Wrong 02:56  |  Baruch Gold 09/03/09
      4.   Lieberman has the ability to be cool,calm,collected, he`s clever 03:02  |  Ben Kova 09/03/09
      5.   The world can shove it`s "dim view" where the sun doesn`t shine. 03:03  |  flyingdoc57 09/03/09
      6.   Good news for Israel... 03:03  |  arik 09/03/09
      7.   So what 03:15  |  Rabbi Yakov Lazaros 09/03/09
      8.   he may end up in jail 03:20  |  michael 09/03/09
      9.   Perfect choice 03:23  |  Mandelarab 09/03/09
      10.   What A Joke It Is To Call Lieberman A Racist! 03:27  |  Lagunageno 09/03/09
      11.   Ironic but ultimately helpful 03:40  |  Manhattanite 09/03/09
      12.   How on earth can Israel be so stupid and undiplomatic. 03:41  |  Fortuna Benmayor 09/03/09
      13.   A Mr. Nice Guy FM can`t make peace 03:47  |  MARK KLEIN, M.D. 09/03/09
      14.   Does Lieberman Really Have To Be FM? 03:54  |  Jeff Northridge 09/03/09
      15.   It is odd, isn`t it....... 03:55  |  Johnboy 09/03/09
      16.   Hope and Israel 03:59  |  Matthew Houston 09/03/09
      17.   God Save Us 04:01  |  Yosemite 09/03/09
      18.   ISRAEL MINISTERS 04:13  |  Roberto 09/03/09
      19.   Lieberman 04:18  |  Baruch 09/03/09
      20.   and Livni gives her hair a toss 04:30  |  David K 09/03/09
      21.   Who`s the real Racist? 04:34  |  Dov 09/03/09
      22.   Avigdor Lieberman is Not a Coward and he Speaks the Truth 04:40  |  Victor 09/03/09
      23.   The Real Avigdor Lieberman 04:43  |  MichaelF 09/03/09
      24.   Israel is in BIG trouble! 04:47  |  Ed 09/03/09
      25.   I`M SERIOUSLY HAPPY 05:02  |  indrajaya 09/03/09
      26.   Re Manhattanite 05:22  |  Brian 09/03/09
      27.   Do we get to decide their FM`s then? 05:23  |  Ilan 09/03/09
      28.   It is a good news for all peace-loving people 05:31  |  Biddut Miah 09/03/09
      29.   I think I know the answer, Johnboy 05:49  |  Sceptic 09/03/09
      30.   Baloney 05:53  |  Michael A. Shoemaker 09/03/09
      31.   a mad, mad world 05:54  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 09/03/09
      32.   The problem is not Lieberman as FM 06:14  |  Michael N 09/03/09
      33.   only the dumb, ignorant or racist, naive take such views 06:15  |  ralph 09/03/09
      34.   Itis Israels response to the Arab attacks. Good !! 06:15  |  Alfredo 09/03/09
      35.   If you demand 06:16  |  rm 09/03/09
      36.   Populist politican 06:26  |  baurat 09/03/09
      37.   Sponge 06:34  |  Matthew Houston 09/03/09
      38.   Jew-hating world wants to know if it`s necessary 06:36  |  Yaakov K. 09/03/09
      39.   This will be the shortest gov`t in Israeli history 06:36  |  binny 09/03/09
      40.   @1&15 too right: West will see real face of Israel and it is not 06:37  |  Hannah 09/03/09
      41.   Heritage only goes so far 06:38  |  Matthew Houston 09/03/09
      42.   Settlements 06:51  |  Matthew Houston 09/03/09
      43.   #17 No, you know nothing, Sceptic 07:03  |  Johnboy 09/03/09
      44.   #20 Cipora thinks the world is mad..... 07:31  |  Johnboy 09/03/09
      45.   # 9 to david k. re: livni`s toss of her hair 07:37  |  eric 09/03/09
      46.   And Arabs knows racism when they see it 07:41  |  Jon 09/03/09
      47.   Democracy vs. `Generic" Western Viewpoint 07:44  |  Proud Israeli 09/03/09
      48.   what an extremist!!! 07:46  |  Gregor 09/03/09
      49.   U.S. administration to keep its distance 07:50  |  vik 09/03/09
      50.   He going to be enemy number one 07:58  |  Dutch 09/03/09
      51.   #12 Michael Dull minded but hyped up 08:08  |  Jim 09/03/09
      52.   #25 Matthew Houston 08:09  |  Johnboy 09/03/09
      53.   We want the US and Europe to keep a distance! 08:15  |  martin knopfman 09/03/09
      54.   #27 - you didn`t say why .. 08:18  |  martin knopfman 09/03/09
      55.   What do you expect? 08:25  |  Moshe Aharon Jacobs 09/03/09
      56.   he`s better than many Arab FMs 08:29  |  As`ad - Angry Arab 09/03/09
      57.   #15 Indrajaya 08:34  |  Jim 09/03/09
      58.   Haaretz against Israel 08:37  |  UlfT 09/03/09
      59.   Give Him a Chance 08:37  |  Baruch Gold 09/03/09
      60.   Lieberman as foreign Minister 08:42  |  Michael 09/03/09
      61.   Israeli Foreign Minister 08:49  |  Garry 09/03/09
      62.   # 32 hey yaakov, having `em won`t do you any good 08:51  |  eric 09/03/09
      63.   # 38 they don`t have to, martin 08:55  |  eric 09/03/09
      64.   #3 : an answer to your question 08:58  |  Michael 09/03/09
      65.   After smear campaign, dovish media take dim view of Lieb. as FM 09:00  |  B 09/03/09
      66.   Since when `Haaretz` changed its name to `World`? 09:02  |  AA 09/03/09
      67.   #33 binny 09:06  |  JIm 09/03/09
      68.   #35 Matthew Houston 09:15  |  Jim 09/03/09
      69.   very undemoctratic 09:17  |  carlo 09/03/09
      70.   world`s alleged dim view of lieberman 09:28  |  norman a blumberg 09/03/09
      71.   Please stop with Israel "bashing" here.... 09:28  |  Swiss (Dino) 09/03/09
      72.   In 1948 "the world took a dim view`of the state being ratified 09:30  |  Aretha 09/03/09
      73.   world view and lieberman 09:39  |  norman a blumberg 09/03/09
      74.   Haaretz takes dim view 09:40  |  JS 09/03/09
      75.   who cares what the Old Europe thinks???? 09:49  |  Kobi former swede 09/03/09
      76.   JS #73... 10:03  |  Esther 09/03/09
      77.   Israel voted - Israel has it 10:11  |  Chris 09/03/09
      78.   Why would we not? 10:11  |  Clickfool 09/03/09
      79.   The " world " is fed up with news from Israel 10:15  |  Regina 09/03/09
      80.   Ilan ..I think if 10:25  |  Will 09/03/09
      81.   We shall yet bitterly regret David Levi in the FM post... 10:46  |  S 09/03/09
      82.   JOHNBOY you know even less.Israeli Arabs do serve in the IDF 10:58  |  PETER SM 09/03/09
      83.   IT DOESNT MATTER WHAT THE WORLD THINKS 11:00  |  zionist forever 09/03/09
      84.   #51 Houston we have a problem with likkle Johnboyo 11:06  |  Ari ben Yisrael 09/03/09
      85.   Lieberman`s appointment 11:17  |  DT 09/03/09
      86.   He`s just a Westerner 11:22  |  christoph 09/03/09
      87.   Lieberman may actually aid in bringing peace 11:41  |  Johan Odin 09/03/09
      88.   European Press 11:42  |  Serge 09/03/09
      89.   Dim View of Lieberman as FM 11:57  |  Eli 09/03/09
      90.   #58 Baruch Gold 12:07  |  Jim 09/03/09
      91.   #69 norman a blumberg 12:12  |  Jim 09/03/09
      92.   Peter SM: Whose illegal putsch? 12:26  |  AT 09/03/09
      93.   Laughing stock 12:31  |  Giora Me`ir 09/03/09
      94.   If Arab terror stopped, how would you feel about Lieberman? 12:34  |  Harvey 09/03/09
      95.   #5 flyingdoc57 12:48  |  Chris Linthwaite 09/03/09
      96.   To `Flyingdoc`- World no silent on Hamas`s electoral victory 12:54  |  Fair-minded 09/03/09
      97.   LIEBERMAN IS NOT A RACIST 12:55  |  Nicole 09/03/09
      98.   # 83 zionist 13:08  |  Axel 09/03/09
      99.   # 75 kobi 13:09  |  Axel 09/03/09
      100.   Bring him on! 13:10  |  David M 09/03/09
      101.   # 58 ulft 13:11  |  Axel 09/03/09
      102.   # 5 flyingdoc 57 13:23  |  Bob 09/03/09
      103.   Lieberman 13:28  |  Charles 09/03/09
      104.   #82 You know nothing, PETER SM 13:34  |  Johnboy 09/03/09
      105.   # 94 Harvey 14:00  |  Bob 09/03/09
      106.   Olmert had to go because ... 14:05  |  Edith 09/03/09
      107.   Johan Odin # 87 Peace Through Fear? 14:05  |  Jeff Northridge 09/03/09
      108.   Democracy at work 14:05  |  BazMann 09/03/09
      109.   Haider, Lieberman and others 14:19  |  Ardi 09/03/09
      110.   lieberman 14:22  |  sunny 09/03/09
      111.   Ari ben Yisrael: seven very underequipped armies 14:22  |  AT 09/03/09
      112.   Ari ben Yisrael: seven very underequipped armies 14:22  |  AT 09/03/09
      113.   I should have lived long enough... 14:29  |  Abecassis 09/03/09
      114.   To Serge /European press 14:30  |  Anne 09/03/09
      115.   Ben Kova on Lieberman as Calm, Cool 14:32  |  Yaakov Sullivan 09/03/09
      116.   reply to talkbacks about democracy .. 14:46  |  martin knopfman 09/03/09
      117.   #96 Fair-minded 14:47  |  Moshe 09/03/09
      118.   GOOD, THEY"RE EQUAL TO PRAISE 14:56  |  Petra 09/03/09
      119.   # 17 Yo Semite, Livni walked away. 15:00  |  petra 09/03/09
      120.   Criticism or Hypocrisy? 15:02  |  ZISD 09/03/09
      121.   dim view 15:05  |  colin 09/03/09
      122.   Yeah, yeah, the "world" said same thing about Menachem Begin 15:35  |  Dr. L. Brnd 09/03/09
      123.   To #69 15:38  |  Noek 09/03/09
      124.   Why so arrogant, Johnboy? 17:00  |  Sceptic 09/03/09
      125.   Why so arrogant, Johnboy? 17:01  |  Sceptic 09/03/09
      126.   A lesson on history to Johnboy 17:02  |  Sceptic 09/03/09
      127.   A lesson on history to Johnboy 17:03  |  Sceptic 09/03/09
      128.   Why so arrogant, Johnboy? 17:14  |  Sceptic 09/03/09
      129.   Why so arrogant, Johnboy? 17:15  |  Sceptic 09/03/09
      130.   Jeff Northridge on a Policy of Fear 17:19  |  Yaakov Sullivan 09/03/09
      131.   Lieberman in FM post 17:25  |  Ahmad Omar 09/03/09
      132.   Let`s all hope Lieberman becomes FM 18:29  |  Guido 09/03/09
      133.   Eerie 18:36  |  Choni Davidowitz 09/03/09
      134.   sceptic-2 18:36  |  Axel 09/03/09
      135.   Sceptic 18:36  |  PCR 09/03/09
      136.   Dr L Brnd 18:40  |  Sylvie 09/03/09
      137.   Dim views and Mr.Lieberman. 18:49  |  Stephen. 09/03/09
      138.   YOUR FACET TOWARDS THE WORLD 18:53  |  Swedish citizen 09/03/09
      139.   Fortuna Benmayor 19:49  |  TonyL 09/03/09
      140.   Choni, You Are Misguided 19:51  |  Yaakov Sullivan 09/03/09
      141.   Lieberman 21:18  |  John 09/03/09
      142.   To Mandelarab 21:19  |  james b from canada 09/03/09
      143.   With Lieberman as FM, the new Likkkud will be 21:26  |  A Bethlehemite 09/03/09
      144.   Who Cares Lieberman,what any of the radical islamic arab nations 21:30  |  glenna 09/03/09
      145.   Cjk and Hillery Clinton was toatlly humiliated on Israeli soil 21:39  |  Labhras 09/03/09
      146.   what better face to represent israel to the world? (3rd try) 22:04  |  eric 09/03/09
      147.   # 10 to dov re: hypocrisy (3rd try) 22:05  |  eric 09/03/09
      148.   PCR, don?t feel discriminated 22:06  |  Sceptic 09/03/09
      149.   Idiotik grey hairs! 22:13  |  rigma 09/03/09
      150.   #3 Now they are ordering how Israel choses it`s leaders? 22:14  |  Josh 09/03/09
      151.   flyingdoc57 ..I`ll tell you what..The world is scared because 22:19  |  Josh 09/03/09
      152.   #139 Good for you TonyL ..Funny part is: 22:25  |  Josh 09/03/09
      153.   But Ahmadienajad Can Speak At The UN? 22:35  |  Meron 09/03/09
      154.   #142 james b from canada well said..Top on thanks 22:52  |  Josh 09/03/09
      155.   End of Diaspora Support for Israel 00:06  |  Carl 10/03/09
      156.   #152 Josh joins the Lieberman Cheer Squad 00:17  |  Johnboy 10/03/09
      157.   To Guido.@ 132 Lieberman is a Straight shooter,and that is why.. 00:27  |  Josh 10/03/09
      158.   If Lieberman 01:12  |  Darlene Wallach 10/03/09
      159.   More on Liberman 01:46  |  Fred Shapiro 10/03/09
      160.   Bigger gaff machine than Joe Biden 02:11  |  binny 10/03/09
      161.   Definition of racism 03:17  |  Bruce 10/03/09
      162.   flyingdoc57 says it all perfectly..bravo #5... 03:23  |  Malone 10/03/09
      163.   Quit groveling to the nations 07:58  |  Moshe 10/03/09
      164.   Bravo Carl #155 08:10  |  David 10/03/09
      165.   World Takes a dim view of Liewberman in FM Post 08:31  |  Shirley Gur 10/03/09
      166.   To Shirley Gur...If you think the world cares.. 20:12  |  Whiskey 10/03/09
      167.   To Fred Shapiro..You are quite right in your diagnosis,but.. 20:41  |  Whiskey 10/03/09
      168.   #156 Johnboy Your sarcasm is apt as usual.But 21:39  |  Josh 10/03/09
      169.   Moshe we will not grovel..And we will choose whomever we want! 01:51  |  Whiskey 11/03/09
      170.   Josh I agree I think Lieberman is the best Israel has 03:15  |  American in NY 11/03/09
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