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On Wednesday, Benjamin Netanyahu of the Likud Party was sworn in by the Israeli Knesset after forming the largest cabinet in his nation’s political history. Netanyahu, who was previously the Prime Minister of Israel from 1996 – 1999, formed his coalition government by naming hard-line right winger Avigdor Lieberman of the Yisrael Beiteinu Party as his Foreign Minister and the Labor Party’s Ehud Barak as Defense Minister. The new far-right leaning coalition government formed out of Israel’s February 10th elections has raised concerns about the future prospects for peace with the Palestinians. Before being sworn in, Netanyahu claimed he would negotiate with the Palestinians but omitted any references to a two-state solution – a policy he has consistently and publicly opposed. Lieberman, who was questioned in a bribery probe yesterday, declared on Wednesday that Israel was not bound by the Annapolis accords of 2007. In further statements, the new Foreign Minister stated his opposition to withdrawing from the Golan Heights as a condition of peace with Syria.

GUEST: Jeff Halper, Coordinator of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions and a professor of anthropology, Halper is author of “Obstacles to Peace: Reframing the Israel-Palestine Conflict”