LIEBERMAN WELCOMES RESUMPTION OF DIRECT ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN TALKS

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Joseph I. Lieberman (I-CT) issued the following statement in response to the announcement that direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations would resume in early September:

"It is a positive and encouraging development that, after 19 months, the Israelis and the Palestinians have at last agreed to start talking directly again. This is important precisely because we know from history that peace in the Middle East cannot be imposed from the outside. Rather, it is only possible when there are leaders in the region who are prepared to make the decisions necessary to achieve it -- beginning with the simple decision to sit down together.

"While Israeli and Palestinian leaders are resuming direct talks on the path to peace, the world must redouble our efforts against those in the region who are determined to thwart peace -- foremost, the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its terrorist proxies. The extremist, expansionist regime in Iran threatens to exercise a nuclear veto someday to prevent Israelis and Palestinians from living side-by-side in peace and security. That is one of many reasons why it is so imperative that the international community -- and all those who hope and pray for peace -- do everything in our power to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability."

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