United Nations (UN) Secretary General Ban Ki-moon reiterated his belief that negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians are the best way to achieve a two-state solution during a meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Wednesday night in New York.
During the discussion Ban stressed the need for both parties “to create the conditions conducive to a resumption of meaningful negotiations, and encouraged Israel to take steps to ease the situation in Gaza,” a written UN statement said.
Ban and Lieberman “also exchanged views on the regional situation,” a short read-out of their meeting at the UN Headquartes said, without any further details.
A far-right politician and head of the Yisrael Beitenu party, which is allied with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party, Lieberman has been an outspoken critic of the US-sponsored peace talks with Palestinians ever since their resumption in July after a three-year pause. Lieberman says reaching a permanent peace deal is impossible, media reported when he was sworn in as chief of Israely diplomacy again in November.
Lieberman was acquitted of corruption and fraud charges in early November by a Jerusalem court, which could further complicate peace talks, US media had reported.
Many consider Lieberman the most controversial politician in Israel as he is known, among other things, for his call for Israeli air strikes against Iranian and Egyptian cities.
US Secretary of State John Kerry also warned Israel could face a third Palestinian uprising (Intifada) if they failed to get on the negotiation track.
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