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The truth about Avigdor Lieberman

Reader comment on item: Avigdor Lieberman's Brilliant Debut

Submitted by David Pinto (Canada), Apr 2, 2009 at 14:28

Mr. Pipes,. I was dismayed to read that you were elated to read about something that Avigdor Lieberman said.

Here is what Avigdor Lieberman has actually said.

Lieberman has been quoted as suggesting that
Israel should use nuclear weapons against the Gaza Strip.In 2002, Lieberman called on the Israeli government, under Ariel
Sharon, to blanket-bomb Palestinian population centres in order to
force Palestinians to flee to Jordan
. The Israeli newspaper Yediot
Aharonot quoted Lieberman as saying during a cabinet meeting that the
Palestinians should be given an ultimatum: "At 8am we'll bomb all the
commercial centres... at noon we'll bomb their gas stations... at 2pm
we'll bomb their banks... while keeping the bridges open."

In 1998, Lieberman called for flooding Egypt by bombing the Aswan Dam.

In 2001, as minister of national infrastructure, Lieberman proposed
that the West Bank be divided into four cantons, with no central
Palestinian government and no possibility for Palestinians to travel
between the cantons.

In 2003, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported
that Lieberman called for thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by
Israel to be drowned in the Dead Sea and offered to provide buses to
take them there.

Further, Lieberman has proposed that a "loyalty test" be applied to
those "Arabs" who desire to remain in Israel. Those committed to
making Israel a state of all its citizens, including the Palestinian
minority, would be stripped of their voting rights. In April 2002,
Lieberman stated that there was "nothing undemocratic about transfer".

In May 2004, Lieberman said that 90 per cent of Israel's 1.2 million
Palestinian citizens would "have to find a new Arab entity" in which
to live beyond Israel's borders. "They have no place here. They can
take their bundles and get lost."

In May 2006, Lieberman called for the killing of Arab members of the
Israeli parliament who meet with members of the then Hamas-led
Palestinian Authority.

In recent months, Lieberman urged that Tehran be levelled if Iran went
ahead with its alleged nuclear weapons programme
. He reportedly told
listeners of Israel's Radio Persian Service that "you will pay a high
price; you, the good Iranian citizens, will pay for your leaders'
actions."

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Daniel Pipes replies:

1. I was elated by that speech, not the totality of Lieberman's statements. I indicated so clearly in my article.

2. I made clear my own wariness of Lieberman in the article ("I have had reservations about Lieberman and still do").

3. You have listed quotations witihout sources. To be taken seriously, they must be sourced.

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Reader comments (64) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
The Obama Administration Reaching Out In All Directions For Help On Israel and The Palestinian Question [133 words]Renee BouvierMay 20, 2009 17:06155868
It Isn't Fair [400 words]ArlindaApr 24, 2009 19:19154403
What a world:: [507 words]MayApr 23, 2009 03:12154334
Right On [43 words]Harold GoldApr 20, 2009 21:09154173
Liberman [17 words]Jon PurizhanskyApr 19, 2009 09:14154093
A Splendid Speech [41 words]MatthewApr 16, 2009 15:21153974
MISLEADING NOMENCLATURE [70 words]HOWARD PAGEApr 13, 2009 21:15153827
1Loyalty Oath [435 words]SarahSueApr 11, 2009 21:31153753
Israeli - American kinship [87 words]pdmApr 10, 2009 09:22153681
Nothing "Brilliant" About Avigdor Lieberman [230 words]Amy WatkinsApr 9, 2009 17:16153657
Blind [40 words]thefalloftheUKApr 11, 2009 13:03153657
Avigdor Lieberman is right [71 words]BZD5Apr 7, 2009 23:31153550
THE RIGHT POLICY FOR ISRAEL. [38 words]GEORGEApr 7, 2009 16:17153522
The American government may not be at war with islam.... [48 words]pdmApr 7, 2009 13:38153507
A public diplomacy gamble [342 words]RafiApr 7, 2009 12:57153503
Re: Rafi"s "a public diplomacy gamble" [351 words]Wana 88Apr 7, 2009 21:56153503
Try to argue with THIS guy, little Hillary [8 words]George BorosApr 6, 2009 21:58153470
Good for Avi and bad on Obie [147 words]Doug CorriganApr 6, 2009 18:56153457
Lieberman's Honest Assessment [198 words]Wana 88Apr 6, 2009 17:54153450
About " Brillant début " of Avigdor Lieberman [29 words]Simon NéhméApr 6, 2009 02:51153381
COMMENDING LIEBERMAN AND DAN PIPES [297 words]JERRY BORISApr 5, 2009 22:38153371
The original two-state solution was enacted in infamy. [1943 words]JennyApr 5, 2009 11:38153350
Quite a bit of baggage [637 words]JKFApr 5, 2009 04:36153333
performance [156 words]yuval Brandstetter MDApr 4, 2009 13:11153311
1Arabs and Honor [65 words]aspaciaApr 4, 2009 07:45153296
Just to remind all of us - The Two - State Suggestion is 87 Years Old [9 words]GRIGGApr 4, 2009 04:57153289
Now hear this! [180 words]MFApr 4, 2009 00:20153279
Good on ya, Avigdor. [31 words]Michael KayApr 3, 2009 21:15153277
New World Priorities [482 words]DemsciApr 3, 2009 18:04153274
1Brilliant Brilliant Debut! [23 words]LeslieApr 3, 2009 17:57153273
Dont worry Dr Pipes-The Israelis Inspector Javers (from Les Mis) have moved onto his case as they always do in Self Hate mode [15 words]alanApr 3, 2009 17:29153272
Time and Time Again [233 words]BlackspeareApr 3, 2009 16:54153270
Lieberman is encouraging indeed. [264 words]BernieApr 3, 2009 15:54153269
Avigdor Lieberman's debut as foreign minister [147 words]MauriceApr 3, 2009 15:16153268
please [29 words]bartApr 3, 2009 10:47153258
Responsibility, accountability both ways [194 words]DemsciApr 3, 2009 10:36153257
For once good dialogue from Avi Lieberman [25 words]VigilantApr 3, 2009 10:28153256
Annapolis allergy [75 words]Mladen AndrijasevicApr 3, 2009 07:03153252
I support the Lieberman view, but... [67 words]BenichouApr 3, 2009 03:53153247
Lieberman has the courage of changing the paradigm. [164 words]Isaac HaskiyaApr 3, 2009 03:36153245
Thank you for being a voice of reason. [120 words]Michael NussbaumApr 3, 2009 01:20153241
Lieberman [41 words]DavidApr 2, 2009 21:53153230
Lieberman is denying the Palestinians their cherished underdog status [55 words]Mark JamesApr 2, 2009 21:40153229
respect [89 words]Felipe OrnelasApr 2, 2009 18:42153224
Wow [60 words]Patricia BischoffApr 2, 2009 17:50153220
Israel is back? [262 words]Abu NudnikApr 2, 2009 17:39153218
I am with you, Mr. Lieberman [42 words]mariApr 2, 2009 17:04153215
Lieberman shows courage and knowledge. [143 words]DeborahApr 5, 2009 19:18153215
The truth about Avigdor Lieberman [331 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
David PintoApr 2, 2009 14:28153201
Peace for peace war for war [84 words]Francesco MangasciàApr 2, 2009 14:21153200
An enigma wrapped in a mystery [342 words]Ken BesigApr 2, 2009 14:09153199
The era of intimidation is over. [147 words]batya daganApr 2, 2009 13:49153195
I agree. [33 words]DONALApr 2, 2009 22:38153195
We are agree with you dear Batya Dagan and Menachem Dagan [17 words]Hava and David HagoelApr 3, 2009 02:14153195
I Too Agree with Batya; However, As For "that child in our White House"... I Doubt He's Susceptible To Teaching.... [960 words]marianaApr 6, 2009 16:33153195
Lieberman's "Realism" [322 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Prof. Paul EidelbergApr 2, 2009 13:06153193
Where is the PA state? [66 words]yuval Brandstetter MDApr 5, 2009 15:54153193
AVIGDOR LIEBERMAN'S SPEECH [160 words]JACQUES HADIDAApr 2, 2009 12:43153190
There Is a "Palestinian State" [125 words]Art VictorApr 24, 2009 16:00153190
Now, If Only Lieberman Can Keep Bibi From "Going Wobbly"! [133 words]marianaApr 2, 2009 11:43153185
thank-you for the clarification [205 words]John W McGinleyApr 2, 2009 11:40153184
Bravo To Lieberman's Maiden Speech [209 words]Adina Kutnicki,IsraelApr 2, 2009 11:27153183
SPEECH AVIGDOR LIEBERMAN [69 words]MannyApr 2, 2009 11:20153181
LA Times. [133 words]SvetlanatchkahApr 2, 2009 11:05153179

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