Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., December 04, 2007 Kislev 24, 5768 | | Israel Time: 23:21 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Advertising
Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File Hanukkah
del.icio.us
Digg It!  new
Last update - 09:00 03/12/2007
Lieberman's cigar test
By Akiva Eldar
Tags: Ehud Olmert 

While MKs from all the parties crowded into the Knesset cafeteria to watch the television broadcasts from Annapolis, Strategic Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman pushed aside the sign that bans smoking in the sitting room at the end of the main auditorium. It was clear he did not care a bit about the controversy over the joint declaration's content. Nor did the decision to begin accelerated talks about a final-status agreement arouse much excitement in right-wing circles, inside and outside the coalition.

On the other hand, the decisions at Annapolis tie the Labor Party to Ehud Olmert's government and shield the cabinet ministers from the final Winograd report. Even Meretz is deliberating about how to treat a rightist who sounds like Uri Avnery.

How will we know who is right? Those who stay at Olmert's side because they believe/hope Annapolis will end up like innumerable previous conferences and agreements, or those who stick with the government because they assume/hope that this time things will be different? Have the decision makers learned their lessons from the failed attempts to achieve an agreement, or are they leading (mistakenly or deliberately) to an apartheid state, as the prime minister put it, in the worst case, or to another round of violence, in the equally bad case? Here are three tests that can help solve the riddle.
Advertisement
The test of opening positions: Before beginning talks about a final-status agreement, the government must outline its opening positions on each of the core issues. If it adopts the approach that the Palestinians must make do with the security fence as a political border, agree to Israeli sovereignty on the Temple Mount and erase the right of return entirely, we can spare the Peace Administration's budget.

The Palestinian leadership under President Mahmoud Abbas, which has emerged from Annapolis to negotiations over a final-status agreement, is far weaker than the delegation headed by Yasser Arafat at Camp David in July 2000. Seven years of "no partner," the destruction of the central government's infrastructure, the Hamas victory and the loss of Gaza have reduced the margins of any Fatah concessions, which are narrow in any case.

Abu Mazen (Abbas) cannot permit himself to give up one centimeter more than Arafat - the June 1967 lines, with mutual and equal border adjustments. Concerning an agreement in Jerusalem and a solution to the refugee problem, there is no point in offering the Palestinians less than what the Clinton plan offered in December 2000.

The fabric of life test: The Annapolis guideline returns the sides to the Rabin formula: conducting the negotiations as though there were no terror and fighting terror as though there were no negotiations. However, the experience of the Oslo process teaches that there is no value to a diplomatic channel unaccompanied by an improved situation for the population under Israeli occupation. The limitations on movement, the expropriation of land for the fence and settlers, assassinations and mass arrests erode public support for the leadership and shrink the little room it has for maneuver. Dismantling outposts, a total freeze on construction in the settlements, without playing games (such as "natural increase" and "expansions"), and a complete implementation of the Sasson report on illegal outposts have always tested Israeli governments' intentions.

The test of the team leader: Many generals sit on the General Staff who have not relinquished the philosophy of "searing the awareness" espoused by defense officials Shaul Mofaz and Moshe Ya'alon. In the planning and intelligence divisions as well as the defense minister's diplomatic-security liaison office, they are saying and writing that if the Israel Defense Forces were to leave the West Bank, we will be forced to secure the homes in Kfar Sava against rockets.

Were it up to them, the IDF would return to Gaza. They have no empathy for the Palestinian side and they do not believe that generous gestures or even a final-status agreement will turn the Palestinian Authority's security services into a suitable substitute for IDF forces in the territories. Although the prime minister says he is not impressed by the defense officials' horror scenarios, he is considering placing a former member of the defense establishment at the head of the Peace Administration, someone who for years was among those who got used to seeing the Arabs through gunsights.

Lieberman is not a sucker. After Annapolis, as before, he is in no hurry to leave the government. As long as he calmly smokes his cigars, his friends in the West Bank settlement Nokdim can relax.
Bookmark to del.icio.us
Construction conflict
Palestinians condemn Israel's plan to build new homes in disputed East Jerusalem.
Nuclear freeze
A new U.S. intelligence report maintains that Iran froze its nuclear program in 2003.
  1.   WHAT IMPROVEMENTS? 09:13  |  indrajaya 03/12/07
  2.   Annapolis was a farce 09:50  |  Dany 03/12/07
  3.   CONCESSIONS??.Recognise Israel is not a Pal. colony to be& stop 10:13  |  PETER SM 03/12/07
  4.   If Gaza minus Jews = Qassams... 10:26  |  Walter 03/12/07
  5.   The basis of peace is the Saudi Plan 10:35  |  Ivar 03/12/07
  6.   Wrong premise 3: West Bank + occupation = Quassams 11:11  |  Ivar 03/12/07
  7.   IVAR the basis of peace is what they agree on 11:25  |  PETER SM 03/12/07
  8.   7, nobody ever won a Nobel Prize by ignoring evidence 12:08  |  Ivar 03/12/07
  9.   NO, World Peace demands giving Abbas LESS than Clinton Plan 12:19  |  Dr. L. Brnd 03/12/07
  10.   why don`t you root for our side for a change 12:28  |  joe 03/12/07
  11.   IVAR @7right on the Jews have won plenty of Nobel prizes 12:31  |  PETER SM 03/12/07
  12.   # 4 Walter 12:35  |  Axel 03/12/07
  13.   Dr. Brnd, peace demands fairness, period, not your manipulations 12:45  |  Ivar 03/12/07
  14.   Ivar the terribly boring 12:46  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 03/12/07
  15.   response to IVAR from "Estonia" 13:19  |  BETZALEL 03/12/07
  16.   Dr brnd and jordan wally at least 35% of WB for us. 13:49  |  vladimir 03/12/07
  17.   Common Denominator of Settlers/Hamas... 13:50  |  Michael 03/12/07
  18.   akiva eldar is psycho, nothing even close to criminal barak 13:51  |  vladimir 03/12/07
  19.   @11, peter s. m. don´t discuss things with 13:56  |  vladimir 03/12/07
  20.   IVARWrongpremise@6.Gaza was a chance to show peace was an option 13:57  |  PETER S.M. 03/12/07
  21.   AXEL The Qassem fire immediately AFTER the withdrawal 14:02  |  PETER S.M. 03/12/07
  22.   to PETER S.M. #20 14:33  |  zeev 03/12/07
  23.   # 21 petersm 14:42  |  Axel 03/12/07
  24.   Akiva you`re right!! 14:48  |  dr Eric 03/12/07
  25.   Trust Axel 14:51  |  Am Yisrael Chai 03/12/07
  26.   Why the Balis Fear a State 15:05  |  GABE1 03/12/07
  27.   To Dr brnd - Well Put!! 15:05  |  dr eric 03/12/07
  28.   Ivar #5 15:20  |  GABE1 03/12/07
  29.   # 25 am 15:34  |  Axel 03/12/07
  30.   to Am Yisrael Chai #25 - a disgusting respond ... 15:41  |  zeev 03/12/07
  31.   Old shmatta Eldar keeps negotiating on behalf of the Arabs 16:21  |  Maya 03/12/07
  32.   Palestinians have to get their act together 17:11  |  Sam 03/12/07
  33.   #30 Zeev 17:12  |  Daybreak 03/12/07
  34.   Libermann has cigars-KGB-Putin will bring the fire 17:33  |  durak 03/12/07
  35.   to zeev 17:51  |  Am yisrael chai 03/12/07
  36.   to Sam #32 - only febble-minded 18:02  |  zeev 03/12/07
  37.   Akiva Eldar Keyboard` Test 18:18  |  Joseph E . 03/12/07
  38.   Daybreak #32 - a scoundrel ... 18:28  |  zeev 03/12/07
  39.   TO Zeev from eir Haavot 18:37  |  Am Yisrael Chai 03/12/07
  40.   Moment in Time 18:42  |  Daybreak 03/12/07
  41.   Zeev of beer sheva( a city I love) 18:47  |  Am yisrael chai 03/12/07
  42.   More BS from Eldar - an unrepetent Osloist & itnatkutist 18:54  |  Oiy Va Voiy 03/12/07
  43.   I would far rather our negotiators had empathy for our side 19:00  |  b 03/12/07
  44.   Is the sun a little too hot for you in Beer Sheba, Zeev? 19:10  |  Sam 03/12/07
  45.   Am yisrael chai 19:34  |  chai vekayam 03/12/07
  46.   Re Margie #14 19:39  |  Esther 03/12/07
  47.   Ya Gabe Ya Cow 19:46  |  Danite 03/12/07
  48.   Tosefta apparently does, Esther. 20:02  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 03/12/07
  49.   Hello Danite 20:03  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 03/12/07
  50.   boring forum today-i`ll liven things up 4 right 20:18  |  marshall plain 03/12/07
  51.   Bad signs, and a clear test 20:19  |  Tosefta 03/12/07
  52.   #13 IVAR, the price of justice and fairness 20:28  |  Dr. L. Brnd 03/12/07
  53.   #48 /49 Margie in Tel aviv You say it best when you say nothing 20:30  |  Labhras 03/12/07
  54.   Zeev - ask the Darfurians, please? 20:34  |  Polybios 03/12/07
  55.   Ya Danite Ma Cherie 20:37  |  Gabe1 03/12/07
  56.   marshall plain @ 50 20:50  |  ChanahS 03/12/07
  57.   AXEL.The Qassem fire sent all the wrong messages especially 20:53  |  PETER.SM 03/12/07
  58.   ZEEV.Qassems&Public trashing of the Synagogues was the message 21:04  |  PETER S.M. 03/12/07
  59.   # 14 Magie: What did not you understand? 21:16  |  Mike the American 03/12/07
  60.   Akiva Eldar may now relax , PM All Merde answered to his question 21:19  |  Joseph E . 03/12/07
  61.   #14 Ivar is correct? 21:19  |  Mike the American 03/12/07
  62.   # 32 Israel has to stop its unjust brutal occupation 21:25  |  Mike the American 03/12/07
  63.   How to avoid terror 21:25  |  Tosefta 03/12/07
  64.   # 25 Axel is F16 in Zionist hands. 21:27  |  Mike the American 03/12/07
  65.   # 52 The Dr. is wrong ! 21:30  |  Mike the American 03/12/07
  66.   # 55 She was in heavin, where were you? 21:33  |  Mike the American 03/12/07
  67.   Sam #44, has the Canadian cold freezed your brain? 21:35  |  zeev 03/12/07
  68.   to Sam #44, something else 21:38  |  zeev 03/12/07
  69.   We don`t know what most Israelis consider a reasonable compromise 22:19  |  Sam 03/12/07
  70.   #60-Arabist apologist calls for compromise 22:19  |  peter 03/12/07
  71.   #59 Mike the American 22:29  |  Labhras 03/12/07
  72.   Zeev- Israelis have learned from experience 22:42  |  Sam 03/12/07
  73.   Sam, zeev isn`t in Beersheva 22:48  |  peter 03/12/07
  74.   Zeev #67 22:55  |  GABE1 03/12/07
  75.   Zeev #68 22:57  |  GABE1 03/12/07
  76.   to Polybios #54 23:01  |  zeev 03/12/07
  77.   Leadership development... 23:06  |  Teresa-Maria (Tess) 03/12/07
  78.   TOSSI FETTA #63 23:06  |  GABE1 03/12/07
  79.   Am yisrael chai #35, Oh, please.... 23:18  |  Teresa-Maria (Tess) 03/12/07
  80.   mike the american illiterate and the usa 23:19  |  victor hardman 03/12/07
  81.   to Sam #69 23:44  |  zeev 03/12/07
  82.   DeNial is not only a river in TZ (Peter the Great Fantasizer #70) 00:15  |  Tosefta 04/12/07
  83.   # 57 petersm 00:31  |  Axel 04/12/07
  84.   HAARETZ CENSOR ? The Blind One 00:51  |  Akiva Eldar 04/12/07
  85.   Peace 01:13  |  Jacob 04/12/07
  86.   re Ivar #14 margie in Ta a" Wilde"enthusiast 01:21  |  Labhras 04/12/07
  87.   DeNial is not only a river in TZ (Peter the Great Fantasizer #70) 01:40  |  Tosefta 04/12/07
  88.   Advice to Slowman 01:46  |  Akiva Eldar 04/12/07
  89.   An agreement with Abbas isn`t worth the paper it`s written on. 01:53  |  Chaim 04/12/07
  90.   AXEL.The significance was in the timing.Firing ON the day 02:15  |  PETER S.M. 04/12/07
  91.   Zeev #67 02:27  |  GABE1 04/12/07
  92.   Tossi Fetta #82 02:35  |  GABE1 04/12/07
  93.   # 71 Thanks, Labhrs 02:40  |  Mike the American 04/12/07
  94.   Chaim 02:57  |  Axel 04/12/07
  95.   # 90 petersm 03:01  |  Axel 04/12/07
  96.   to Sam #72 (1) 03:18  |  zeev 04/12/07
  97.   to Sam 72 (2) 03:21  |  zeev 04/12/07
  98.   zeev and tosefta 04:34  |  American in NY 04/12/07
  99.   zeev and Tosefta 04:38  |  American in NY 04/12/07
  100.   #82-87-arabist apologist swimming in quicksand 04:42  |  peter 04/12/07
  101.   Babe1 #92, and facts 04:50  |  Tosefta 04/12/07
  102.   VLADIMIR IS A PSYCHO 05:37  |  Stephen Connor 04/12/07
  103.   Lieberman might bolt out of coalition since he`s already said 05:51  |  Smadar 04/12/07
  104.   The Peace Administration Budget 06:20  |  Daniel 04/12/07
  105.   The Peace Administration Budget 06:20  |  Daniel 04/12/07
  106.   The Peace Administration Budget 06:20  |  Daniel 04/12/07
  107.   # 9 Living on Mars 06:30  |  Mike the American 04/12/07
  108.   # 1 WELL SAID 06:35  |  Mike the American 04/12/07
  109.   Eldar DEMONIZES, wants civil war!!!! 07:26  |  Ben Uziel 04/12/07
  110.   American in NY: a delayed answer; maybe it won`t reach you again 08:04  |  S 04/12/07
  111.   American in NY #98 addressed to CJK, not as written 08:16  |  S 04/12/07
  112.   American in NY #99 to Tosefta 08:18  |  S 04/12/07
  113.   Abu Mazen (Abbas) cannot permit himself to give up one centimeter 09:11  |  Alex 04/12/07
  114.   Haaretz, you threw out 3 different recent posts of mine? 09:23  |  S 04/12/07
  115.   86, Labhras, I enyoyed your choice Wilde quote 10:10  |  Ivar 04/12/07
  116.   to S #111 11:39  |  zeev 04/12/07
  117.   S 15:25  |  American in NY 04/12/07
  118.   S # 111 16:38  |  American in NY 04/12/07
  119.   Mike #76 - that`s evading the point 18:23  |  Polybios 04/12/07
  120.   Opps, I meant "Zeev #76". Sorry 18:55  |  Polybios 04/12/07
  121.   to Polybios #120 22:49  |  zeev 04/12/07
 Today Online
PM: Report on Iran nukes justifies tighter sanctions
Responses: 227
Colleagues back Israeli Arab lecturer who threw out soldier
Responses: 202
Rosner and Benn: Iran nuke study pulls military option off table
Responses: 87
Editorial: Bring home the settlers east of the West Bank fence
Responses: 90
Palestinians slam Israeli plan for new E. Jerusalem homes
Responses: 52


More Headlines
22:07 Bush to make 1st official visit to Israel in January
22:41 Bush: World must continue to pressure Iran despite nuke report
21:05 Olmert: Nuke report on Iran shows need for tighter Iran sanctions
22:45 Social workers to close offices Wednesday in protest of attack
21:37 Greek far-right historian on trial over allegedly anti-Jewish book
22:02 Pines-Paz: Ethiopians must be allowed a secular education
22:03 IDF major indicted for spying for Iran, Hamas seeks plea bargain
18:11 Palestinians slam Israeli move to build new homes in E. Jerusalem
20:59 Israeli Arab leaders: A Palestinian state is not the solution for us
22:44 Exam shows Israel ranks 39th out of 57 in scholastic performance
Previous Editions
Special Offers
Advertisement
Invest in Macedonia
New Business Heaven in Europe
Long-term Israel programs
MASA is your gateway. More programs. More grants.
Eldan Rent a Car
Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
Dead Sea Salt
Beauty and skin care from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 10% off!
Junkyard
Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt.
Holiday Inn and Crown Plaza Israel
Lowest internet rate Guaranteed at ichotelsgroup.com !
Home| TV| Print Edition| Diplomacy| Opinion| Arts & Leisure| Sports| Jewish World| Underground| Site rules|
© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved