Postpone Amona bill until after Trump inauguration, Lieberman says

Lieberman said he looked forward to working with a future Trump administration, and declined to comment on the Ellison controversy.

Avigdor Liberman speaks at the Saban Forum (photo credit: SABAN FORUM)
Avigdor Liberman speaks at the Saban Forum
(photo credit: SABAN FORUM)
WASHINGTON -- The Knesset should hold off from voting on a controversial that would legalize an outpost at Amona, on Friday night.
Speaking at the Saban Forum in Washington, Lieberman suggested that Israel and the incoming administration Trump should have a chance to work out an understanding over its continued settlement activity. Several Israeli officials cancelled their attendance at the Brookings Institution event in order to be home for the vote, scheduled for Monday.
Lieberman said he looked forward to working with a future Trump administration, and declined to comment on the Ellison controversy.
He questioned whether it would be wise for Trump to prioritize moving America's embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem immediately upon taking office. "It would be a mistake to take the embassy as a focal point," he said.
But he offered praise for Trump's son in law, Jared Kushner, who the president-elect has floated as a a potential Middle East envoy, despite his lack of foreign policy experience.
"What we know, he's a really tough, smart guy, and we hope he will bring new energy to our region," Lieberman said.
He called on Trump to show Iran that violations of an international nuclear deal brokered last year has costs, but stopped short of calling on the incoming administration from tearing the deal apart.