Peacemaking policy in Israel is decided by the prime minister's office, and not the foreign ministry. But Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman carries significant weight in Israeli decision-making, and his is a sentiment common among confidants of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. President Barack Obama brought Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas together in New York last month in an effort to jumpstart talks that broke down months ago. So far, no breakthroughs have been announced. Since the New York summit, US envoy George Mitchell met with representatives of Netanyahu and Abbas in the United States, and returned to the region this week. He was to meet with Lieberman and Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Thursday and has sitdowns planned with Netanyahu and Abbas today.
Israeli media reported that a Mitchell aide told local journalists on Wednesday that the envoy's visit was not likely to conclude with an announcement on talks resuming.
“We're going to continue with our efforts to achieve an early relaunch of negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, because we believe that's an essential step toward achieving the comprehensive (Mideast) peace to which I earlier referred,” Mitchell told reporters as he entered a meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres on Thursday.
Lieberman told Israel Radio on Thursday that anyone who thinks the two sides can soon reach a deal ending their decades-old conflict “doesn't understand the situation and is spreading delusions.”
