JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said his government would immediately get to work on Mideast peace issues, promising to present a diplomatic agenda in the coming weeks.
| Let's hope it doesn't get watered down. |
Speaking at the first meeting of his Cabinet, Netanyahu said he planned to appoint an inner Cabinet on Sunday to deal with the nation's most pressing security and political issues. 'In the coming weeks, we shall complete our policy guidelines for progress on peace and security,' he said.
Netanyahu has sent mixed signals about his diplomatic program in recent weeks. Elected on a platform highly critical of his predecessor's peace talks with the Palestinians, he took a softer line when he was sworn into office last week, telling parliament he would pursue a 'full peace' with the Arab and Muslim world.
However, Netanyahu has given few details about his program and has so far refused to endorse the idea of an independent Palestinian state. Palestinian independence is a cornerstone of U.S. policy in the Mideast, and the Palestinians have said that if Netanyahu does not commit to a two-state solution, there is no point in negotiating.
| Precisely. The Paleos haven't committed to a two-state solution so why should Israel? |
Netanyahu's hard-line foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, raised additional concerns on his first day in office when he dismissed as meaningless the past year of U.S.-led peace negotiations and said concessions to the Palestinians only invite war.
Lieberman did endorse the 'road kill map,' an internationally backed peace plan that calls for a staged process leading to Palestinian independence. The road kill map has been frozen for several years due to failure by Israel and especially by the Palestinians to meet their initial obligations.
Also high on Netanyahu's agenda is Iran's nuclear program. Netanyahu believes Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons and has called on the international community to prevent this from happening. Upon taking office last week, Netanyahu stressed that Israelis 'know how to protect' their country _ a possible hint that Tehran's nuclear facilities could be struck if the international community fails to persuade it to stop its nuclear activities.
| You have to think that Bibi is willing to do what Olmert wasn't. And you have to think that Bibi will do it even if Bambi says don't. |
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