Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Lieberman to French FM: Gilo is an integral part of Israel; Livni: Gilo Israeli consensus

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman addressed the issue of construction in the Gilo neighborhood in Jerusalem during a meeting with his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner on Wednesday. "Gilo is an integral part of Israel, like Tel Aviv and Herzliya." He said.

The minister stated that building authorization is a strictly procedural process and noted, "We have no intention of interfering with it." The two also discussed regional issues and Lieberman thanked Kouchner for France's stance on the Iranian nuclear program.

Opposition Chairwoman Tzipi Livni met with Kouchner in Jerusalem on Wednesday and told him that "there is Israeli consensus on the neighborhood of Gilo. Beyond dealing with the immediate issue, this understanding is important for all discussions about permanent borders."

On the Iranian issue Livni said a deadline for talks should be set: "It's time for harsh sanctions against Iran. Dialogue should also be within a timeframe."