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Lieberman criticises Netanyahu's effort to reach ceasefire with Gaza

July 5, 2014 at 1:33 pm

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman slammed on Friday a potential ceasefire with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reports.

Lieberman severely criticised the policy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling plans of working to reach a ceasefire a “serious mistake.”

Visiting Israeli settlements near the Strip, Lieberman said: “I object to this move. We are making a serious mistake. The message that ‘calm will be met with calm’ is misguided.”

He continued: “We need to put our hands on those supporting and encouraging terror, this includes Khaled Mesh’al and Ismail Haniyeh. They need to know they are a target.”

Criticising Netanyahu’s policy regarding Hamas, he said: “While we talk about a ceasefire, Hamas continues to develop missiles that can reach Tel-Aviv. All we are doing is postponing the problem and not finding a solution.”

Lieberman warned that the ceasefire would give Hamas time to develop its abilities. “Ignoring the problem or being afraid to deal with it will lead us to a situation in which thousands of missiles are fired at us, not hundreds,” he said.

“We cannot accept a situation in which Hamas controls the pace of events and dictates when it ignites the region and all we do is respond,” he added.

He called on the pro-Israel lobby in the US to help influence American policy on this matter. “One of the Israeli settlers ‘found dead’ in the West Bank holds a US passport. We are waiting for Jewish lobbies in the US to say their word on this issue.”