Liberman: Abbas has ‘lost all touch with reality’

Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman on Monday launched a harsh critique of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas for what he called the “escalation of his rhetoric,” saying the Palestinian leader had “lost all touch with reality,” has no intention of reaching a final peace accord with Israel, and does not represent the Palestinian people.

“It really was a message of hatred and incitement. It’s clear that he has no intention to make peace with Israel, and it’s not the first time [he has spoken out against Israel],” the foreign minister told reporters on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, referring to Abbas’s speech on Friday.

Abbas in his UN address accused Israel of committing genocide against residents of the Gaza Strip during the IDF’s 50-day-long operation against Hamas and other terror groups which came to an end last month.

The foreign minister proceeded to describe the Palestinian leader as “a man who has lost his way” and one who has “lost all touch with reality,” and said Abbas was using the international platform to quell domestic criticism of his leadership.

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Moreover, Liberman said he “has doubts of his authority” among the Palestinian public, pointing to Abbas’s non-governance of the Gaza Strip, and his postponement of PA elections for years.

“I’m not sure that he really has legitimacy to speak on behalf of Palestinian people,” Liberman said. Abbas “tries to resolve his domestic problems with an escalation in his rhetoric. But it’s clear that he has no support and he has lost his way,” Liberman said.

The foreign minister further charged that Abbas “remembers every slight inflicted upon him since he was born,” adding that this is “not the way to build credibility with your people.”

Liberman added that Israel has proven that it is “really ready” for a peace deal, pointing to its agreements with Jordan and Egypt and unilateral evacuation from the Gaza Strip, but stressed that it “needs a partner on the other side.”

“We need a reliable partner on the other side, and I’m sorry to say that we don’t have a partner on the other side. It’s a problem,” he said. Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005, he said, and “the result is that we suffered more than 18,000 mortars and shells on Israel since the disengagement.”

The foreign minister also addressed the Iranian nuclear program, stressing that Israel was “keeping all options on the table,” in a veiled reference to a possible military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities.

“If the Iranians will achieve nuclear capabilities, the immediate result will be a crazy nuclear arms race in the Middle East,” Liberman said.