US said to deny Liberman posting will upset defense aid talks

Government source tells Channel 10 negotiations and defense cooperation to continue as usual after cabinet shuffle

By Stuart Winer

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and ToI Staff 22 May 2016, 10:41 am

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Avigdor Liberman arrives at coalition talks at the Knesset, May 19, 2016. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

A US government official denied claims that the appointment of Yisrael Beytenu head Avigdor Liberman as defense minister will interfere with talks over a huge military aid package for Israel, according to a report Sunday.

The senior official also denied that Liberman’s appointment and the resignation of former defense minister Moshe Ya’alon would affect continued security cooperation, according to a Channel 10 report.

Talks over a memorandum of understanding for military support are to go ahead and other defense issues will be taken up with the incoming minister as they have in the past, said the source, who was not named in the report.

The official also noted that the White House is waiting until the cabinet shuffle roiling the Israeli government has ended and all new appointments are confirmed before it gives an official response.

The assurance came after Channel 2 reported Saturday that the US warned the Israeli government over giving the defense post to Liberman, whose hawkish stances and lack of defense experience have raised some hackles in Israel and abroad.

According to Washington sources cited by Channel 2, also unnamed, outgoing Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon was a key figure in the discussions and the entry of Liberman into the Defense Ministry would “create difficulty” for the defense talks.

Israel and the US are presently in the midst of negotiations over renewing a multi-billion dollar defense aid package. Israel currently receives $3.1 billion annually from the US, but would like to increase the aid after the current deal expires in 2018.

According to Channel 2, Washington is worried over the Moldova-born Liberman pushing for closer ties with Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

Liberman is set to take up the defense portfolio amid a shakeup in the governing coalition that would see his party join the governing coalition, amid efforts by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to expand his razor-thin coalition of 61 seats.

He has previously served as foreign minister, and worked to shore up Israel’s ties with Russia and former Soviet republics.

Outgoing Defense Minister and Likud member, Moshe Ya'alon, speaks at a press conference in which he announces his resignation from the Knesset, in the Kirya, the Tel Aviv IDF headquarters, on May 20, 2016. (Miriam Alster/Flash90) — Outgoing defense minister and Likud member, Moshe Ya’alon, speaks at a press conference in which he announces his resignation from the Knesset, in the Kirya, the Tel Aviv IDF headquarters, on May 20, 2016. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)

Last Thursday Netanyahu announced that Liberman would be taking over as defense minister, prompting Ya’alon, who has held the post for three years, to declare his retirement from politics the next day.

Ya’alon himself had a testy relationship with some US officials, including Secretary of State John Kerry, whom he criticized for his peace talks push, but had recently held several meetings with top US defense officials over the aid package and defense cooperation.