About two weeks before he resigned from the post of defense minister, Avigdor Liberman met with Palestinian Authority (PA) intelligence chief Majed Faraj and with senior Fatah official Hussein al-Sheikh, who coordinates relations between Israel and the PA, Kan 11 Newsreported on Monday.
According to the report, the meeting, which was called at Liberman's request, dealt with the security coordination between Israel and the PA and with possible lifting of restrictions on the part of Israel.
The meeting was also attended by Major General Kamil Abu Rokon, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT).
According to Palestinian Arab sources quoted in the report, Liberman told the two senior PA officials at the meeting, "I am not an extremist, and I also do not agree with Prime Minister Netanyahu on everything." He clarified that he was willing to talk to them about economic and security cooperation in Area A, which is under full civil and security control of the PA.
The senior PA delegation reportedly told Liberman that they demand that the IDF stop entering Area A, that Israel allow the PA to develop Area C and allow investments there, and also demanded that the economic agreements between Israel and the Palestinian Authority be discussed.
One of the PA officials said that Liberman had promised to come back to them with answers to the demands they raised within two weeks, but then he suddenly resigned and nothing materialized.
Liberman's associates confirmed that a meeting was held with two senior PA officials, but added, "They discussed only security-related issues, Liberman did not tell them that he was more moderate or less moderate, and the content presented by the Palestinian side was inaccurate. They came away from the meeting very unhappy.”
