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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Lieberman mulled for Israel FM |
| 2009-03-05 |
| Controversial ultra-nationalist Avigdor Lieberman is being considered for the job of foreign minister in the cabinet being assembled by Benjamin Netanyahu, an official in Netanyahu's Likud party said on Wednesday. "There is a serious possibility that Avigdor Lieberman will take the helm of the foreign ministry," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity, adding that "nothing has been decided for the moment." Lieberman's Yisrael Beitenu is the third-largest party in parliament after winning 15 seats in the 120-member chamger in February 10 elections. For the moment, it is expected to be the second-largest party in a coalition Netanyahu is forming, and is laying claim to a senior portfolio, such as foreign affairs, finance or defence. Netanyahu has excluded giving him the defence job because he lacks experience. The finance post could be a problem because of an ongoing corruption investigation, local media have reported. Lieberman, 50, has built his reputation on statements that have earned him a reputation as a "racist" and "fascist" among critics and as a tough-talking man on security among admirers. In the three years since the last election, he has called for the execution of Israeli Arab MPs who had dealings with Hamas, for Gaza to be "treated like Chechnya" and for Israel to fight Hamas "just like the United States did with the Japanese in World War II." In October, he told Hosni Mubarak to "go to hell" for not coming to Israel. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 Good, Israel didn't have an FM who thinks that Israel has a right to exists---and to Hell with what the rest of the World thinks---in ages. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2009-03-05 01:52 |