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Israeli defence minister warns IDF will stop at nothing to win in Gaza and Lebanon

'I suggest, first of all, to the Europeans, the Americans and the Russians, not to touch the Israeli-Palestinians conflict'

Samuel Osborne
Thursday 26 January 2017 15:39 GMT
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Israeli defence minister Avigdor Lieberman denied any change in Israel's settlement building policy since Donald Trump became US president
Israeli defence minister Avigdor Lieberman denied any change in Israel's settlement building policy since Donald Trump became US president (Lior Mizrahi/Getty Images)

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Israel's defence minister has said the army will stop at nothing in future conflicts in Gaza or Lebanon.

"It doesn't matter where the next conflict breaks out, it has to be at full strength," Avigdor Lieberman told a conference at the Institute for National Security Studies.

"You recruit the entire army, the entire reserves; you go full strength until the end, until the other side yells 'gevalt' and raises a white flag. We don't stop in the middle."

"If a quarter of the [Gaza] Strip is needed, then we occupy a quarter of the Strip. If more, then more," he said, according to Haaretz.

The defence minister attacked foreign intervention in the Israel-Palestine conflict.

"I suggest, first of all, to the Europeans, the Americans and the Russians, not to touch the Israeli-Palestinians conflict," he said.

"Whoever wants to help solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should first of all forget about the over-involvement of world powers, especially that of Europe, it's mostly disruptive."

Barack Obama uses final interview as President to slam Israeli policy on settlements

Mr Lieberman also denied any change in Israel's settlement building policy since Donald Trump took up office as US President.

“There’s nothing new in this. We always built, including under the Obama administration,” he said, The Times of Israel reported.

He also called Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas an "illegitimate leader," adding: "There is no Palestinian Authority. There is Hamas in Gaza, Fatah in the West Bank."

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