Israel's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman declared Thursday that there was no chance of reaching a final accord with the Palestinians any time soon, casting a pall over the US Mideast envoy's latest effort to get peace talks moving again who wanted an early relaunch of Israeli- Palestinian talks. “We are going to continue with our efforts to achieve an early relaunch of negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians,” Mitchell told reporters as he met Israeli President Shimon Peres in Occupied Jerusalem. Resuming talks suspended 10 months ago was “essential” for a comprehensive regional peace involving Israel and neighbors that include Syria and Lebanon. If the region wanted peace, Mitchell said, Obama believes “there is no alternative” to that. Lieberman, however, suggested that the two sides come up with a long-term interim arrangement that would ensure prosperity, security and stability. He recommended leaving the toughest issues - such as the status of disputed Jerusalem and a solution for Palestinian refugees who lost homes amid war - “to a much later stage.” “Anyone who says that within the next few years an agreement can be reached ending the conflict ... simply doesn't understand the situation and spreads delusions, ultimately leading to disappointments and an all-out confrontation here,” Lieberman told Israel Radio. Lieberman's approach runs counter to US efforts to reach an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal quickly. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will tell visiting US envoy George Mitchell that he will not resume peace talks until Israel freezes settlement expansion, according to Jibril Rajoub, a key member of Abbas' Fatah Party.
