Lieberman, Landver Sworn Into Ministerial Posts
JERUSALEM, Israel – The Israeli cabinet unanimously approved the installation of Avigdor Lieberman as the new defense minister, replacing outgoing DM Moshe Ya'alon. Cabinet ministers also approved Sofa Landver as immigration and absorption minister, a post she held in the last government.
At the installation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu surprised reporters by saying the 2002 Arab Peace initiative, also called the Saudi peace plan, could be a taking-off point to restart direct talks.
"The Arab peace initiative includes positive elements that can help revive constructive negotiations with the Palestinians," Netanyahu said. "We are willing to negotiate with the Arab states revisions to that initiative so that it reflects the dramatic changes in the region since 2002, but maintains the agreed goal of two states for two peoples. To this end, we welcome the recent speech by Egyptian President el-Sisi and his offer to help advance peace and security in the region."
The initiative, adopted by the 22 Arab League member nations, calls for an Israeli withdrawal to the pre-1967 armistice lines and a "just settlement" for Palestinian "refugees" in exchange for normalization of ties with the Jewish state. Till now, those terms have been unacceptable to Israel.
Newly installed Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman thanked Netanyahu for his appointment and the Knesset for its vote of confidence, reaffirming his position on the vision of "two states for two peoples."
"I absolutely agree that the Arab initiative also has some very, very positive elements that enable a serious dialogue with all our neighbors in the region," he said.
On Sunday evening, Education Minister Naftali Bennett reached an understanding with Netanyahu on briefing members of the Security Cabinet before asking them to vote on a given situation.
Netanyahu eventually accepted a compromise proposed by Health Minister Yaakov Litzman allowing the chairman or deputy chairman of the National Security Council to brief the cabinet on security matters for the time being.
Bennett had refused to back down on his proposal that all members of the Security Cabinet have the information needed before voting on a given issue. That information was limited to the prime minister, defense minister and certain security officials, while other members of the Security Cabinet were asked to vote without it.
