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Livni tells Kerry that imposed UN agreement would harm Israel
A row broke out among Israeli political leaders after it emerged that Hatnuah leader Tzipi Livni had advised US Secretary of State John Kerry not to support United Nations (UN) initiatives which would impose a peace agreement on Israel and the Palestinians.
Last week, Jordan tabled a UN Security Council resolution on behalf of the Palestinian leadership, which would mandate the conclusion of peace talks within 12 months and an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank within two years. After some deliberation, Washington announced that it would not support the Palestinian-backed initiative, scuppering the prospect of an imminent vote on the motion.
Foreign Policy magazine quoted a European diplomat who attended a meeting addressed by Kerry in Washington and said that Livni and former-Israeli President Shimon Peres had advised Kerry “that such a text imposed by the international community would reinforce Benjamin Netanyahu and the hardliners in Israel,” with an election campaign looming. Livni recently agreed a joint electoral ticket between Labour and her Hatnuah Party, which polls indicate is a threat to Netanyahu’s grip on power.
Netanyahu’s Likud Party accused Livni and Labour leader Isaac Herzog of being “only interested in replacing” Netanyahu “so that they can make dangerous concessions and completely fold to international pressure.” Meanwhile, Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett said “With all due respect, Ms. Livni’s interests don’t come before the state’s interests” and accused her of “orchestrating actions that will hurt Israel, behind the incumbent government’s back, all in order to undermine the Bibi [Netanyahu]-Bennett [campaign].”
In response, Livni clarified to Army Radio that she did talk to Kerry but advised not that a UN vote should be delayed until after the election, “I asked that it not take place,” saying “an imposed settlement is bad for Israel.” Livni added, “The difference between me and Netanyahu and Bennett is that the world listens to me … I will always use this network of trust for the benefit of the State of Israel.”