| Revision as of 13:32, 23 February 2009 view sourcePedrito (talk | contribs)2,399 edits →Population exchange, loyalty tests, and portrayal of Israeli Arab MKs as collaborators: rm WP:SOAP, that's all in the Hamas article.← Previous edit | Revision as of 16:25, 23 February 2009 view source Jaakobou (talk | contribs)15,880 edits Undid revision 272713993 by Pedrito (talk) - undo Hamas relevant info. Please review WP:SOAP as well as WP:CENSOR.Next edit → | ||
| Line 42: | Line 42: | ||
| Lieberman advocates land and population exchanges, seeking to reduce the number of Arabs who are Israeli citizens and dividing Jews and Arabs into two culturally homogeneous states. The suggested plan is to award the Palestinian Authority governorship over Arab-Israeli towns near the West Bank in exchange for Israeli control over ] in the ]. Lieberman also advocates that all Israeli citizens, including anti-Zionist ] and Israeli Arabs, take loyalty tests and recognise Israel as a Jewish State. Those who refuse would be stripped of their citizenship, but could remain in Israel as permanent residents. <ref name="nyt1"> ], 7 December 2006</ref><ref name=iht1> Associated Press, 5 November 2006<br/>Quote: Under Lieberman's proposal, Arabs permitted to remain in Israel would have to pass a loyalty test to keep their citizenship. Arabs make up roughly one-fifth of Israel's population.</ref><ref name=TEST> ], 23 March 2006</ref> | Lieberman advocates land and population exchanges, seeking to reduce the number of Arabs who are Israeli citizens and dividing Jews and Arabs into two culturally homogeneous states. The suggested plan is to award the Palestinian Authority governorship over Arab-Israeli towns near the West Bank in exchange for Israeli control over ] in the ]. Lieberman also advocates that all Israeli citizens, including anti-Zionist ] and Israeli Arabs, take loyalty tests and recognise Israel as a Jewish State. Those who refuse would be stripped of their citizenship, but could remain in Israel as permanent residents. <ref name="nyt1"> ], 7 December 2006</ref><ref name=iht1> Associated Press, 5 November 2006<br/>Quote: Under Lieberman's proposal, Arabs permitted to remain in Israel would have to pass a loyalty test to keep their citizenship. Arabs make up roughly one-fifth of Israel's population.</ref><ref name=TEST> ], 23 March 2006</ref> | ||
| In November 2006, Lieberman called for the execution of any ] who meets with the ] ], saying, "] ended with the ]. The heads of the Nazi regime, along with their ]s, were executed. I hope this will be the fate of the ]s in ."<ref> ], 4 May 2006</ref> | In November 2006, Lieberman called for the execution of any ] who meets with the ] Islamist party ], an] organization which advocates Israel's destruction, saying, "] ended with the ]. The heads of the Nazi regime, along with their ]s, were executed. I hope this will be the fate of the ]s in ."<ref> ], 4 May 2006</ref> | ||
| In response, ], leader of the Arab nationalist party ] demanded that "a criminal investigation be initiated against Lieberman for violating the ]".<ref name=NAZI> ], 2 November 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 ] and a ]". ] minister ], 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> ], 31 October 2006</ref> | In response, ], leader of the Arab nationalist party ] demanded that "a criminal investigation be initiated against Lieberman for violating the ]".<ref name=NAZI> ], 2 November 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 ] and a ]". ] minister ], 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> ], 31 October 2006</ref> | ||
Revision as of 16:25, 23 February 2009
Avigdor Lieberman (Template:Lang-he (audio), born Evet Lvovich Lieberman (Template:Lang-ru) on 5 June 1958) is an Israeli politician and leader of the Yisrael Beiteinu party. Lieberman has called for Israel to redraw its borders to push out Arab areas and require all Israelis, including the often anti-Zionist Haredim and Arabs remaining in Israel, to sign loyalty oaths or lose their right to vote. Lieberman's party emerged the third largest party in Israel after February 2009 general elections, and he is widely viewed as a kingmaker holding the key to the next government lead by either Kadima or Likud parties.
In October 2006, Lieberman and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert signed a coalition agreement under which Lieberman became the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Strategic Affairs, a new position with a focus towards the strategic threat from Iran. However, he left the cabinet when Yisrael Beiteinu resigned from the coalition in January 2008. A polarizing figure within Israeli politics, Lieberman is quoted as saying, "I've always been controversial because I offer new ideas. For me to be controversial, I think this is positive."
Biography
Born in Kishinev, Soviet Union (now Moldova). As a teenager, Lieberman worked as a nightclub bouncer and as a broadcaster in Baku before immigrating to Israel in 1978 at the age of 20. 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 serving Benjamin Netanyahu. In 1999 he founded the Yisrael Beiteinu party, and was the editor of the newspaper Yoman Yisraeli (Israeli Diary). Lieberman supports Israeli membership in the European Union and NATO.
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 Minister of National Infrastructure, but resigned the post in March 2002. He was re-elected in January 2003 as part of a joint National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu list, and in February was appointed Minister of Transportation. However, he was sacked from the cabinet by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in May 2004 due to his opposition to the disengagement plan.
Lieberman is married, with three children, and resides in Nokdim in the West Bank.
Lieberman Plan
Main article: Lieberman PlanAccording 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."
In late May 2004, Lieberman proposed a plan in which the populations and territories of Israeli Jews and Arabs, including some Israeli Arabs, would be "separated". According to the plan, also known as the "Populated-Area Exchange Plan", Israeli Arab towns 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 30 May Prime Minister Ariel Sharon condemned Lieberman's statements, stating "We regard Israeli Arabs as part of the State of Israel." On 4 June 2004, as the disputes over the up-coming disengagement plan grew more intense, Sharon dismissed Lieberman from the cabinet.
Though Lieberman's plan would not uproot Arab residents from their homes, it would 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.
Popularity and constituency
In a poll published by Yedioth Ahronoth on 21 September 2006, Lieberman had more support than any politician except for Netanyahu to be the next Prime Minister of Israel (Olmert came in fifth, with 7%). Some Druze support Lieberman, and one third of the Druze of the Golan Heights who hold Israeli citizenship (a group which counts less than 10% of the Golan Druze) voted for him. 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
Population exchange, loyalty tests, and portrayal of Israeli Arab MKs as collaborators
Lieberman advocates land and population exchanges, seeking to reduce the number of Arabs who are Israeli citizens and dividing Jews and Arabs into two culturally homogeneous states. The suggested plan is to award the Palestinian Authority governorship over Arab-Israeli towns near the West Bank in exchange for Israeli control over settlements in the West Bank. Lieberman also advocates that all Israeli citizens, including anti-Zionist Haredim and Israeli Arabs, take loyalty tests and recognise Israel as a Jewish State. Those who refuse would be stripped of their citizenship, but could remain in Israel as permanent residents.
In November 2006, Lieberman called for the execution of any Arab Knesset member who meets with the majority elected Islamist party Hamas, an internationally designated terrorist organization which advocates Israel's destruction, 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 ."
In response, Ahmad Tibi, leader of the Arab nationalist party Ta'al demanded that "a criminal investigation be initiated against Lieberman for violating the law against incitement and racism". 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". Labour 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".
In remarks in the Knesset in March 2008, shortly after the 6 March attack at Jerusalem's Mercaz HaRav yeshiva, Lieberman stated that "yesterday's attack can not be disconnected from the Arab MKs incitement, which we hear daily in the Knesset." and, directed at Arab MKs, that "a new administration will be established and then we will take care of you."
In February 2009 The Times reported: "His fan base sees him as a forceful leader with clear vision who can sweep away almost two decades of compromise with the Palestinians, which they say has only led to more terrorism, and impose tough conditions that will ensure Israel's security. At recent rallies, youthful right-wing supporters have chanted “Death to the Arabs” as they awaited their hero.
Controversial statements
Following nine Palestinian attacks on Israelis during a two day period in March 2002, the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth quoted Lieberman's proposal for an ultimatum to the Palestinians to halt all terror activity or face wide-ranging attacks on commercial centers: "if it were up to me I would notify the Palestinian Authority that tomorrow at ten in the morning we would bomb all their places of business in Ramallah, for example." This led Foreign Minister Shimon Peres to respond that excessive military measures could lead to accusations of war crimes.
In July 2003, reacting to a commitment made by Ariel Sharon to the US, where amnesty could be given to approximately 350 Palestinian prisoners including members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, Lieberman rejected a chance to participate in the related committee and said "It would be better to drown these prisoners in the Dead Sea if possible, since that's the lowest point in the world," Lieberman continued, according to Galei Tzahal ('Israel Army Radio'), stating his willingness, as Minister of Transport, to supply buses to take the prisoners there. Lieberman's suggestion also led to confrontation between Lieberman and Arab-Israeli MKs Ahmed Tibi (Hadash-Ta'al), Jamal Zahalka (Balad), Taleb el-Sana, Abdelmalek Dahamsha (United Arab List) as well as opposition leader Shimon Peres.
In January 2009, during Israel's military operation in Gaza, Lieberman argued that Israel "must continue to fight Hamas just like the United States did with the Japanese in World War II. Then, too, the occupation of the country was unnecessary."
Mass media perception
A large number of mainstream media sources within and outside of Israel label Yisrael Beiteinu and its leader, Avigdor Lieberman, as far right or ultra nationalist whereas others consider him right wing. At the same time Lieberman recognizes two-state solution and is considered secularist, often to the extreme, both contradictory to the tradition of right wing politics in Israel. In addition, the party and its leader are often called populist.
Various Arab and world media and politicians have accused Lieberman of being a fascist and racist. A number of Israeli media and politicians disagree. The party phenomenon was explained by Gershom Gorenberg :
- Lieberman is not a right-winger, because he’s talking about giving up land. In fact, he’s even willing to give up land from sovereign Israel. I think one of the reasons people say Lieberman is in the center is that they don’t realize he has, in effect, redefined the terms.
Jericho Casino corruption investigation
In January 2008 Yisrael Beiteinu left the government and Lieberman left his position as Minister of Strategic Affairs, and almost immediately afterwards, Arutz Sheva reported that an investigation against Lieberman and his daughter that had been "ongoing for years, suddenly became active again once he left the government last week." An investigative exposé in Haaretz "targeting Lieberman...unearthed connections between the financier of the corruption-laden Oasis Casino in Jericho and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his predecessor Ariel Sharon." Police concluded decisively that Sharon had received a $3 million bribe, and Lieberman is still under investigation for receiving a bribe from Austrian-Jewish businessman Martin Schlaff.
Coalition agreement
 | This article appears to be slanted towards recent events. Please try to keep recent events in historical perspective and add more content related to non-recent events. (January 2009) |
Yisrael Beiteinu agreed to join Ehud Olmert's government on 23 October 2006, with Lieberman offered the post of Minister of Strategic Affairs. Although many in the Labour Party expressed opposition to Yisrael Beiteinu joining the coalition, the party's central committee approved the new coalition and on 30 October, the Knesset voted the party be included in the government by a margin of 61 to 38. In response, Ophir Pines-Paz, who led the opposition camp in the Labour party, announced his resignation, stating that "Lieberman is himself a strategic threat."
However, the party left the coalition on 16 January 2008 in protest at peace talks with the Palestinian National Authority.
References
- "FACTBOX - Israel's Avigdor Lieberman". Reuters. 2009-02-09. Retrieved 2009-02-09.
- ^ PM, Lieberman sign coalition deal Ynetnews, 23 October 2006.
- A hard-line Israeli official, Avigdor Lieberman, stakes out extreme positions
- The Father of Palestine (subscribers-only access), The New Republic, 13 February 2008
- Avigdor Lieberman: Israel should press to join NATO, EU, Ha'aretz, 1 January 2007.
- Lieberman: The unfaithful cannot be citizens Ynetnews, 10 December 2006.
- Lieberman presents to Russia plan to expel 'disloyal' Arabs Ha'aretz, 30 May 2004.
- PM sacks National Union ministers, Ha'aretz, 5 June 2004.
- Sharon sacks hardliners who stand in his way The Guardian, 5 June 2004
- Poll: Only 7 percent want Olmert as PM Ynetnews, 21 September 2006
- Nobody's citizens Ynetnews, 16 October 2006
- Israeli Official Discusses Iran and His Controversial Agenda New York Times, 7 December 2006
- New Cabinet minister Lieberman calls on government to separate Jews and Arabs Associated Press, 5 November 2006
Quote: Under Lieberman's proposal, Arabs permitted to remain in Israel would have to pass a loyalty test to keep their citizenship. Arabs make up roughly one-fifth of Israel's population. - Israel's new politics: Shutting itself in, hoping for the best The Economist, 23 March 2006
- Lieberman calls Arab MKs who meet with Hamas 'collaborators' Jerusalem Post, 4 May 2006
- Prosecution: Lieberman's anti-Arab remarks kosher Ynetnews, 2 November 2006
- Labour minister quits over Lieberman's role The Independent, 31 October 2006
- Haaretz Service:Lieberman: Jerusalem attack is product of Arab MK incitement
- Shahar Ilan:Lieberman to Arab MKs: One day we will 'take care of you'
- The Times, February 7, 2009, James Hider in Jerusalem, Ex-bouncer Avigdor Lieberman muscles his way into Israeli politics
- - 'Weekend of terror leaves 23 Israelis dead', 4 March 2002.
On 4 March the first Qassam rocket attack of March 2002 was made into Israel, there were no casualties. (Source: IDF Spokesperson Statistics).
- Palestinian gunmen took up a position on a pedestrian bridge above Petah Tikva Road at the center of Tel Aviv and attacked two restaurants below, "The Steak Gathering" and "Sea Food Market" killing 3 Israelis and injuring 31 (four severely).
- suicide bomber detonated in an Egged No. 823 bus.
- Bethlehem bypass "tunnel" attack.
- Qassam rocket attack on Sderot injured a 16 month-old baby. -
- Following terrorist acts in recent days right wing politicians suggest to open war, bomb civilian targets in the Palestinian Authority and conquer the West Bank.
Template:Lang-he
- Minister of Infrastructure Avigdor Lieberman said: "If it were up to me I would notify the Palestinian Authority that tomorrow at ten in the morning we would bomb all their places of business in Ramallah, for example."
Template:Lang-he - Paul Peachey: We risk charges of war crimes, Peres tells Cabinet The Independent, 7 March 2002.
- McGreal, Chris. Palestinian PM's leadership at stake when he pleads with Bush to help free detainees. The Guardian, 25 July 2003.
- Abu Toameh, Khaled. (2003, 21 July.) PA prepares own dossier on 'incitement'.
- Chazan, Guy. Hawkish Palestinian TV Starts to Incubate Doves. Wall Street Journal
- 'Lieberman offered to drown the Palestinian prisoners at sea' by Walla!, 6 July 2003
- On Galei Tzahal it was reported that Lieberman said at the cabinet meeting that as Minister of Transport he's willing to provide buses to take them at sea and drown them there.
Template:Lang-he - Lieberman blasted for suggesting drowning Palestinian prisoners Ha'aretz, 8 July 2006.
- Lieberman: Do to Hamas what the US did to Japan
- Treat Hamas like Japan in WWII: Israeli nationalist leader
- http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jQcI9FHWxEsA6tc4jY_geH7HvqQw
- http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/129435
- , , , , , , , , ,
- , , , , , , ,
- , ,
- , , , ,
- , , , , ,
- , ,
- "Israel Is Our Home", by Jennie Rothenberg Gritz, The Atlantic, March 14, 2007.
- Ezra HaLevi. Exposé Links Olmert, Lieberman and Sharon to Jericho Casino Arutz Sheva, 24 January 2008
- Ezra HaLevi. Exposé Links Olmert, Lieberman and Sharon to Jericho Casino Arutz Sheva 24 January 2008
- Hillel Fendel."Police Say There´s Evidence Linking Sharon to $3 Million Bribe" Arutz Sheva, 3 January 2006
- Olmert gets hardline partner United Press International, 30 October 2006
- Lieberman blasts Arab MKs, pulls party out of government Haaretz, 16 January 2008
External links
Avigdor Lieberman on the Knesset website
- The appointment of Israel’s new deputy PM raises fears of a new catastrophe, says Robert Fox
- Gilad Katz: Avigdor Liberman – Politician or Statesman? (Omedia, 22 October 2006)
- Akiva Eldar: Let's hear it for the Haiders Ha'aretz, 31 October 2006.
- PM: Lieberman opinion on trading Arabs not my own Ha'aretz, 5 November 2006.
- Official website of Yisrael Beiteinu
Ministers of national infrastructure, energy and water resources  | ||
|---|---|---|
|  | |
| Transport ministers of Israel | ||
|---|---|---|
| | |
Template:Yisrael Beiteinu Knesset members
Categories: