BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- The Israeli foreign minister said Friday there was zero chance of talks resuming and all past agreements could be broken if Palestinians go to the UN, Israeli press reported.
Avigdor Lieberman made the comments at a breakfast with European foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton, as she began a day of meetings with Israeli and Palestinian officials in a bid to revive peace talks between the two sides.
Lieberman said that Israel would undo past agreements with the Palestinian Authority if the body seeks recognition of an independent state at the United Nations, a move planned for September.
"The unilateral move at the UN is the end of the Oslo Accords and would be a violation of all agreements that we have signed until now," Lieberman was quoted saying by Israeli daily Haaretz.
"Israel would not be obligated to the agreements that it has signed with the Palestinians over the past 18 years."
Lieberman rubbished prospects for negotiations in the meeting with the EU official held in Jerusalem.
"Abbas does not want an agreement, but rather confrontation with Israel," Lieberman said.
"This is his personal interest, even though it is contrary to Palestinian interests and many in the Palestinian Authority oppose him."
Ashton is scheduled to meet Ramallah premier Salam Fayyad and have dinner with President Mahmoud Abbas later Friday, as part of a tour of the Middle East.
Before arriving in Israel on Thursday, Ashton said she was pushing for an urgent meeting of the Middle East Quartet of peacemaking diplomats which she would discuss with both sides.
"I have proposed a meeting of the Quartet to help relaunch negotiations and will be looking for positive signs from all sides," she said in a statement released on Wednesday.
"With the momentous events going on in North Africa and following (US) President (Barack) Obama's speech last month, it is more urgent than ever that we kickstart the Middle East peace process."
Ashton will travel to Cairo on Saturday to discuss events in Libya, then will return to Israel on Sunday for a joint meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Quartet envoy Tony Blair, an EU spokesman said.
Front Page Features