No peace with Palestine for coming 16 years: Israeli FM

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he intends to start talks with the Palestinians by the end of September.

Speaking during Sunday's cabinet meeting and ahead of his meeting with US special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell, Netanyahu added that there has been "a certain closeness" building between the two sides.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman offered a more somber prediction as to the fate of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process Sunday, at a press briefing held in Jerusalem.

"Despite giving everything, we were unable to strike peace 16 years after (the Oslo Accords). I'm willing to bet there won't be peace 16 years from now either, certainly not one based on the two-state solution," he said.

Lieberman argued that the peace process must be de-prioritized: "Some conflicts took many years to resolve...We have to improve the (Palestinians') state of the economy and security, but we can't create an illusion.

"Thinking we can have peace with the Palestinians within a year or two in unrealistic. (Former PM Ehud) Olmert and (Opposition Leader Tzipi) Livni couldn’t strike peace despite their offers. (Former PM Ariel) Sharon's government withdrew from Gush Katif and that didn’t bring peace. And didn’t (Defense Minister Ehud) Barak already offer everything in Camp David?" he said.