At an ambassador conference held in the Foreign Ministry, FM Avigdor Lieberman said that Israel's ambassadors must observe proper protocol and respect in foreign countries and carry out their job to explain Israel's position and bolster the possibilities for international friendship. However, one of the main thrusts of his message was that this does not mean adopting a Uriah Heep behavior of giving the impression that Israel will do anything to please.
"I have seen several ambassadors whose identification with the countries where they are posted is so great they constantly trying to justify the other side's point of view," Lieberman said. "This stance is wrong. There should not be an attitude of groveling and self-effacement."
"We will not look for friction and confrontation but we will also not turn the other cheek. For every action there will be a reaction and this is the policy I demand from the ambassadors."
Those in the know believed Gaby Levy, posted in Turkey, who is making efforts to mend ties between Ankara and Jerusalem, to be the reason behind some of Lieberman's comments. The FM opposes Turkey resuming its role as mediator between Israel and Syria in indirect peace talks and said they will not be given the role of go-between so long as he remains in his position.
Commenting on speculation of further Netanyahu compromises to cajole PA President Abbas back to the negotiation table, Lieberman said that Israel "does not need to give any more in order to speak to [Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas]. We have paid enough. We have done many gestures and received nothing in return. On the contrary; there is a limit to hypocrisy. You can't speak of a new era and at the same time sentence to death those who sell land to Jews, a sentence signed by Abbas."
