'Dermer promised the Saudis a Palestinian state': Liberman hits back at government

What will happen in Gaza "the day after?" Yisrael Beiteinu chairman and MK Avigdor Liberman posed this question during budget debates in the Knesset plenum on Wednesday. He claimed he "heard from an old friend in Washington" that war cabinet member and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer had made a commitment to Saudi Arabia for the establishment of a Palestinian state and that Israel would help the Saudis approve their nuclear program and would not harm nuclear facilities they would build.

He said, "What else am I hearing? This fascinating meeting between National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi, and the head of Palestinian intelligence, Majed Faraj, who is close to Mahmoud Abbas, with the approval of Prime Minister Netanyahu, about cooperation between the Palestinian leadership and the Israeli security system. All this comes after Netanyahu's announcements that "there will be no 'Hamas-stan' or 'Fatah-stan' in Gaza."

Coming to Saudi Arabia's terms?

Liberman raised another point, asking, "Does anyone know where Minister Ron Dermer is? I suggest that the Speaker of the Knesset check how many days he has been present in the Knesset since the beginning of his term as minister. Where is he? I'll tell you where - in the US and Saudi Arabia."

He added on the subject, stating, "Yesterday I received a call from an old friend in Washington, a friend who is very involved in American politics, in the Pentagon and the White House. He told me an interesting story."

"During Netanyahu's diplomatic mission, Minister Dermer committed three things to the Saudis: 1. The establishment of a demilitarized Palestinian state, 2. A commitment to the Saudis that the State of Israel will help it pass the approval of the Saudi nuclear program through Congress, and 3. A commitment by Israel not to damage the Saudi nuclear facilities that will be established. Were any of these issues brought up during discussions in the political-security cabinet or war cabinet? Probably not," Liberman claimed.

Issues with the incoming budget

Regarding the budget, he noted, "Economically, every falafel stand is doing better than Israel's economy. This government is bankrupt, and I can continue to talk about the economy, but everything has already been said."

Finally, on the decision to transfer orphans from Gaza to Judea and Samaria, he said "I want to use this time for a few more things, and I ask you, Mr. Chairman, as a member of the coalition, if the Prime Minister's initiative to approve the transfer of orphans from Gaza to Judea and Samaria was brought up to coalition management or the political-security cabinet, would you vote for it? Orphans are terrorists, and what about our orphans? This is a shameful decision."