Nevertheless, minister for strategic affairs says he supports arms transfer from Egypt to Abbas' Presidential Guard.
By JPOST.COM STAFFlieberman 298.88(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Minister for Strategic Affairs Avigdor Lieberman said on Thursday that Israel cannot compromise its demands for security to leap into a diplomatic solution with the Palestinians.
In an interview to Israel Radio, Lieberman warned that Israel must ensure that rocket fire on the country's southern communities ceases absolutely before making any deals with the Palestinians.
"When you come to the negotiating table in a weak position, you get a bad diplomatic agreement," Lieberman said.
Lieberman also argued that Israel should initiate economic programs in cooperation with the Palestinians, in order to ease the economic hardship in the PA.
Nevertheless, Lieberman said that he supported the arms delivery to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' Presidential Guard.
During an interview with Israel Radio, he said that "these arms will help the forces fighting Hamas and Jihad," adding that it was "a calculated risk worth taking."
Tovah Lazaroff and Herb Keinon contributed to this report.
