(Communicated by the Foreign Minister's Bureau)
Minister of Foreign Affairs Avigdor Liberman met today (Sunday 16 November 2014) in Jerusalem with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
At the start of the meeting, FM Liberman stated that he was very appreciative of FM Steinmeier’s personal contribution to the strengthening of relations between Israel and Germany. FM Liberman also said that Israel deeply appreciates Germany's balanced and responsible approach to the conflict in the region, especially with regard to the relations between Israel and the Palestinians.
FM Liberman expressed his hope that the meeting of the foreign ministers of the European Union will result in a similar balanced approach to Israeli-Palestinian relations. FM Liberman said that there is no place to create a linkage between the Israel-EU bilateral relationship to the relationship between Israel and the Palestinians, and added that any attempt to create such a stipulation is based on a misguided approach that does not contribute to stability, normalization or enhancement of the relationship between Israel and the Palestinians.
FM Liberman stated that Israel has exerted much effort in its attempt to calm the situation in Jerusalem, and that he was pleased that last Friday's prayers on the
Temple Mount passed quietly and in perfect order.
FM Liberman said that it should be obvious to everyone that Israel will never accept a definition of construction in Jewish neighborhoods in Jerusalem as "settlement activities," because this is the broad consensus in Israel, agreed upon by Jewish citizens from the Left, Right and Center political streams, adding that he was hopeful that the members of the European Union would take this into account. No one will accept that construction in neighborhoods like Ramot, Gilo or East Talpiot can be construed as "settlement construction." This is is a distortion of reality that we will not accept, FM Liberman stated.
We will not accept any restrictions on construction in Jewish neighborhoods in Jerusalem and there will be no compromise on this matter, FM Liberman said. Anyone who thinks that the Israeli government will succumb and limit construction in Jerusalem is mistaken; we will defend our independence and sovereignty.