Resignation of hardliners leaves Israel coalition in disarray

Olmert's position in Israel has just got more difficult with the news that Avigdor Lieberman, the right wing lunatic he invited to join his coalition, has resigned in protest over Olmert's decision to hold peace talks with the Palestinians over "core issues".

It's an extraordinary move by Lieberman as no-one really supposes that Bush is going to put Olmert under the slightest pressure to make concessions on the core issues, so one can only suppose that Lieberman objects even to the idea of negotiation itself.

He has made it very clear that he is opposed to the entire notion of "land for peace":

The Moldovan-born leader, whose main base is among the million immigrants from the former Soviet Union, and who has frequently been accused of anti-Arab racism by his critics, said that he was against the concept of "land for peace". He added: "If we pull back to the 1967 borders, everyone should ask himself, what will happen the following day? Will the terror stop? Nothing will change."

As I say, I find Lieberman's stance confusing as it presupposes a willingness on the part of Olmert to make concessions that I simply see no indication of.

Indeed, without pressure from Bush, it is unlikely that this peace initiative will go anywhere and Bush's entire visit to the Middle East appears more concerned with drumming up support for an attack on Iran than on actually making any sort of constructive progress towards peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

And Olmert has made clear that he has no intention of complying with UN resolution 242.

Mr Olmert, the Prime Minister, has in fact made it clear that he is seeking a deal significantly modifying the 1967 borders, under which the largest West Bank settlements will remain in Israel.

So, unless Abbas is a complete idiot, these peace talks are going nowhere; which makes Lieberman's departure simply odd.

Why walk out when there is no chance of the thing that you fear ever happening?

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Tags: Israel, Palestine, Olmert, Liberman, Abbas