Israel warns of a 'new approach' in the path to peace in the Middle East



Israel's foreign minister has given clear signals to the U.S. that their plans for peace with Palestinians will not include making concessions to create a new state.



Avigdor Lieberman told the U.S. Middle East envoy today that trade-offs had, in the past, caused wars and said Israel needed to find a 'new approach'.

But Barack Obama's envoy George Mitchell, speaking after the meeting with the Foreign Minister today, said the United States continued to support the idea of creating an independent Palestinian state. It has been the guiding principle of U.S.-backed peace efforts in recent years.

Israel's Avigdor Lieberman (left) shakes hands with U.S. envoy George Mitchell before their meeting

In a statement after the meeting, Liberman said: 'The historic approach has so far not brought any result or solution.'

He said they would need to find a 'new approach'.



He added: 'Past prime ministers were prepared to make wide-ranging concessions and the result of the Olmert-Livni government was the second Lebanon war, the operation in Gaza, severance of relations with Qatar and Mauritania, Gilad Schalit still in captivity and the peace process at a dead end.'

Although Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials of the new government have spoken at length about the emotional and strategic ties between Israel and the United States, clear differences are emerging over the outlines for an Israeli-Palestinian peace.



Ultra-nationalist Lieberman made waves after taking office last month, saying the past year of U.S.-led negotiations was no longer relevant and concessions to Palestinians only invite war.

Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni thought Palestine should take control over most of the West Bank and Gaza and some Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem. But no agreement with the Palestinians was reached.

Despite their efforts to exchange Palestinian prisoners for captured soldier Schalit, they failed to negotiate his release from the Hamas militants who have been holding him in Gaza for nearly three years.

U.S. envoy Mitchell said after the meeting: 'U.S. policy favors - in respect to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - a two-state solution which will have a Palestinian state living in peace alongside the Jewish state of Israel.'

Earlier, Mitchell visited President Shimon Peres, who played down differences between Jerusalem and Washington.



He told the envoy: 'The policy of President Obama and his efforts for peace in this region are the same as the position of Israel.'



And he played down concerns that Israel could bomb Iran's nuclear facilities if Tehran did not stop developing nuclear arms which could be turned against the Jewish state.

Israel sees a nuclear Iran as the most serious threat to its existence. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has repeatedly called for Israel's destruction and Tehran has tested long-range missiles that could strike Israel.



While not directly threatening to take out Iran's nuclear facilities, Israel has kept the military option open.

