© Suhaib Salem / ReutersPalestinian militants show a home-made rocket
"In the next few months all existing tunnels will be blown up and destroyed" by new technologies invented by Israel, Lieberman said during an interview with RTVI, adding that Israel is aiming to put an end to the "ping-pong" of rocket exchanges.
His comments come amid increased tensions between Israel and Palestinians - who are supported by Hamas - after US President Donald Trump's official recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
According to Lieberman, Hamas is solely responsible for the escalating violence in the Gaza Strip and argues that a large-scale attack from Hamas is inevitable, stating that "should Hamas be faced with the alternative of losing power or attacking Israel, without a doubt, Hamas will choose another conflict with Israel."
The defense minister also claims that Turkey has been tacitly supporting Hamas, and that "we should revisit all our ties" with Ankara, to sever any dependence from Turkey and to discontinue a proposed gas project with Ankara which would give a "key to our whole gas pipeline" and Israel's energy security to Erdogan - a situation which would have "far-reaching consequences."
Lieberman also believes that the previous rapprochement with Turkey was a mistake, as Turkey cannot be trusted. He said he does not "believe a single word from Erdogan," who has been issuing threats and uses all possible pretexts - such as Trump's Jerusalem decision - for open hostility towards Israel.
During a 57-member meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Turkey, Erdogan called for the end of Israel's occupation of the Temple Mount and East Jerusalem, threatening to open a Turkish Embassy of Palestine in Eastern Jerusalem. Lieberman responded to those threats by saying "the status of Jerusalem as capital non-negotiable" and that the issue was closed.
Reader Comments
to our Newsletter