Livni warns of rift with US after elections

Four days before American Mideast envoy George Mitchell's arrival to the region, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni warned Saturday night of a rift with the United States if a right-wing government is elected, as such a government would be perceived in Washington as a "peace refuser".


The Likud said in response that the Kadima chairwoman's remarks reflect stress. "This is a ridiculous spin," the party said in a statement.

In closed forums over the weekend, following US President Barack Obama's inauguration and Mitchell's appointment as Mideast envoy, Livni said, "Mitchell's mission is a positive thing under a government which will continue the current diplomatic policy.


"When Israel supports a solution of two states for two people, the pressure won't be on Israel. If we have a government headed by myself which will advance this policy, the pressure will be exerted on Iran and its satellite countries and we'll be able to recruit the US to our war on terror.


"If we have an extreme right-wing government, which will reject this principle, the pressure will be directed at Israel."

more: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3661214,00.html

The Kadima leader has warned that a government led by opposition candidate Benjamin Netanyahu cannot work with the new US administration.

"A far-right government led by Netanyahu is likely to provoke conflict with the new administration," Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni told the Public Radio Sunday.

The Kaima party's candidate for the February 10 general elections made the comments amid speculations that the poll will result in a coalition of former Prime Minister Netanyahu's Likud, the far-right Yisrael Beitenu and conservative Jewish religious parties.

"When Netanyahu was in power (1996-1999), relations with the United States reached an all-time low," said the foreign minister.

"Israel will have to choose whether it is on the side that promotes the process or rejects it, otherwise there will be an unavoidable rift with the United States," the Ha'aretz quoted Livni as saying.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=83680§ionid=351020202

As people age, they either get more intractable or more aware.

Bibi has a very ... er ... "persuasive" way of communicating, which is why he's not without friends in the USA, despite his ideological bent.

Also, the current Secretary of State got an up-close-and-personal look at how Bibi played it last time. She's not going into any nation-to-nation discussions clueless, unarmed, or unprepared.

Quite an interesting group of comments as well.