"Let him sue me": Liberman challenges Netanyahu
Yisrael Beiteinu party leader Avigdor Liberman spoke at an anti-terrorism conference, warning that the US may recognize a Palestinian state within two years and accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of deliberately facilitating this process. Liberman also challenged Netanyahu to contest his statements in court.
Yisrael Beiteinu party leader and Knesset member Avigdor Liberman spoke on Thursday at the International Conference on Counter-Terrorism named after Shabtai Shavit at Reichman University. In his speech, he warned that the US could recognize a Palestinian state in about two years across all of Judea and Samaria, the Jordan Valley, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem, calling this nearly irreversible. Liberman said he spoke this week with representatives of the US State Department and the National Security Council, and according to him, "all without exception" support recognition. He also accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of deliberately allowing this process to develop, because, in Liberman's view, Netanyahu understands that in two and a half years he will no longer be in office. "The Netanyahu family's approach is that if Bibi is not prime minister, then let this country burn," Liberman said. Additionally, he warned of Palestinian preparations for a large-scale confrontation, the first stage of which should be elections in the Palestinian Authority at the end of November. Liberman criticized the lack of preparation on Israel's part and accused Netanyahu of a policy of inaction. He also challenged Netanyahu to contest his statements in court, promising to immediately waive his parliamentary immunity. At the same time, Liberman believes that as long as Donald Trump remains US president, recognition will not happen, and Israel must use the remaining time to prevent a catastrophe.