Israel-Palestine: Foreign Minister Lieberman "No Peace for 10-20 Years"

Israel's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Sunday that he sees no chance for a comprehensive Israel-Palestine agreement in the next 10 to 20 years. He added:

"We think that if we make more concessions everything will work out. Even if we return the last grain of sand, and divide Jerusalem, and agree to all the demands, nothing will change and we will be in the same situation....Israel has proved more than any other country that it is ready for painful concessions....

We brought here a group of terrorists from Tunisia, we gave them guns and a government....We need to tell the world that there are no "magic solutions". We will not get to a permanent agreement in the coming decade, or the one after that. The Palestinians are even unable to reach a stable peace agreement among themselves."

On the matter of peace talks with Syria under Turkish mediation, Lieberman said:

"I am not picking a fight with anyone but unsuitable things were said by the prime minister of Turkey.

As long as I am foreign minister, and as long as Israel Beiteinu is the senior member of the coalition, there will not be Turkish mediation between us and Syria, but rather only direct talks, in Jerusalem and in Damascus."

Lieberman's comments come as Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is expected to visit the Palestinian Embassy in Ankara, marking the first anniversary of the war in Gaza. During his visit, Davutoglu is expected to reiterate Ankara's emphasis on the urgent need to lift the blockade on Gaza.

Today on EA (24 December 2009)

Iran: Scott Lucas looks at the latest from Iran in a special analysis, arguing that this challenge is no longer just about Tehran, students, or a "Green" elite vs "the common people".

We have videos of today's demonstrations in Tehran. And of course all the latest news can be followed on on our live weblog.

Videos : Najafabad, Islafan and Mashhad Protests (23 December)
Video: University Demonstrations for Montazeri (22 December)
Iran Special Analysis: After Montazeri — From Protest to Victory?
Latest Iran Video: The Last Goodbye to Montazeri (21 December)
The Latest from Iran (23 December): This Time, No Pause?

Afghanistan: Some numbers you should know: Jeremy Scahill offers an insight into the size and nature of President Obama's War.

Israel: While co-operating on the "Friendship Dam",  Syria and Turkey object to pre-conditions being placed on talks with Israel.

Israel: Syria & Turkey Object to "Pre-conditions" on Talks

On Wednesday, Turkish Prime Minister was in Damascus again to meet Syrian President Bashar Assad. The immediate issue for the leaders was a treaty addressing the future of the water problem between their countries. The accord permits Syria to take water from the Tigris River and uniting Ankara and Damascus in construction of the "Friendship Dam" on the Asi River.

The wider issue of talks with Israel then emerged. Assad criticized the Israelis for continuing "pre-conditions" on discussions with Damascus. He said:

We discussed today the ways to bring the peace process out of the deadlock that it has reached ... because of the absence of a serious Israeli partner who aims to achieve peace.

When Israel says it wants negotiations without conditions it means it wants negotiations with no foundation. This is like having a building with no foundation, then it's very easy to be brought down and they want to bring down the peace process.

Erdogan reiterated his position that "Ankara is always ready to take responsibility" for mediation.

This Weekend on EA (19/20 December)

Iran: Sunday's news has been dominated by the sudden death of 87 year-old Grand Ayatollah Montazeri and how the Regime is trying to deal with the challenges posed by his death, first by belittling his memory;  then by criticising the cleric. All the latest news is, as always, in our live weblog.  Demonstrations have been taking place honouring Montazeri's memory --- we've posted video from Tehran and Najafabad. We also flashback with a video to Montazeri's denunciation of the Supreme Leader in a speech in October.

Mehdi Karoubi has  responded in an open letter to the threat of arrest made by the head of Iran's judiciary, Sadegh Larijani .

Austin Heap, one of the most respected and prominent activists on the Internet and Iran, has written for EA explaining the attack on Twitter by the Iranian Cyber Army.

We analyse the Regime's attempts to amass thousands of their own supporters to in Friday's rally in Tehran, and we have video of nightime rooftop protests in Tehran.

Palestine: Following the dramatic article in Thursday's Guardian newspaper, EA analyses the story behind CIA support of Palestinian "torture".

Lebanon: Is Lebanese PM Hariri seeking to improve Lebanese-Syrian relations to better defend Lebanon against Israel?

Israel & Turkey: Can Israel and Turkey repair relations and leave behind the Gaza War behind? EA's Ali Yenidunya analyses.

Middle East: on Friday both the EU and the UN both criticised Israel over its settlement policy.

USA: One year into the Obama Presidency, EA's John Matlin writes in defence of the President.

Syria-Lebanon: What is Prime Minister Hariri Seeking?

According to the Syrian news agency Champress, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri told Syrian President Bashar Assad on Saturday that he wishes to improve Lebanese-Syrian relations to better defend Lebanon against Israel, which continues to violate Arab rights. Assad's adviser Buthaina Shaaban said that the talks were "frank" and "succeeded in overcoming difficulties that marred relations in the past five years."

Hariri loyalist and former lawmaker Mustafa Alloush was more cautious: he said that the visit was "very difficult on the personal level" and involves "great sacrifice" and did not mean Lebanon had dropped its belief that Syria was responsible for the killing of Hariri's father Rafik, the former Lebanese Prime Minister assassinated in 2005. However, Alloush added, "As prime minister of Lebanon, it is quite normal to have such a visit....It is necessary and there is a need to settle all aspects of the relationship."

"At the end of the day, Syria is the nearest country to us. God willing this visit will bring stability and security to Lebanon," Bahia al-Hariri, a member of the Lebanese parliament and the premier's aunt, said in Lebanon.

So, what is the outcome of this visit by Hariri? Is it a natural consequence of Hezbollah's weight in the cabinet or just a part of the coalition deal? Or is this an initiative by Hariri to decrease the tension inside Lebanon through an opening to Damascus, offering a diplomatic victory to Syria after five years of tension?