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JERUSALEM — Israel’s ultranationalist foreign minister said Monday that he voluntarily removed himself from crucial talks with the United States because he lives in a West Bank settlement, denying speculation that he’s being sidelined by an image-conscious government troubled by growing friction with the Obama administration.
The talks are meant to bridge the gap between Washington, which demands a total West Bank settlement freeze, and Israel, which wants some construction to continue.
Avigdor Lieberman told reporters he stepped aside because his status as a settler could be perceived as a “clear conflict of interest.” Defense Minister Ehud Barak of the dovish Labor Party will attend instead.
