Avigdor Lieberman, the Israeli Foreign Minister and leader of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, rebuffed claims that the renewal of West Bank settlement construction was a provocative move meant to torpedo the peace talks. Lieberman said the Palestinians failed to accept the gesture of the moratorium for nine months and "now they are pressuring Israel to continue the very freeze they rejected." Lieberman said Israel was ready to enter peace talks with no preconditions.[56] Lieberman also ruled out that a Palestinian state will be established in the coming of two years.[57]