American diplomats in The Hague described Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s visit in the Netherlands in November 2009 as "a demonstration of how to irritate people and lose friends"

American diplomats in The Hague described Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's visit in the Netherlands in November 2009 as "a demonstration of how to irritate people and lose friends." Details of Lieberman's visit appear in WikiLeaks documents regarding Israel now being published in Haaretz.

Dutch officials were said to be "flabbergasted" and "dismayed" by Lieberman's behavior. At a meeting with Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen, Lieberman spoke for 20 minutes nonstop without giving the Dutch minister a chance to conduct a dialogue or exchange opinions, according to a cable sent from the U.S. Embassy in The Hague.

Finally Verhagen told him "you need friends," and emphasized his friendship, but noted that the Netherlands "cannot go on defending Israel without helpful actions by the Israelis."

Verhagen was also surprised that Lieberman did not bother to tell him - either during his visit or in a thank you call afterward - of the plan to build new housing units in occupied Jerusalem's Gilo neighborhood.

"Lieberman made no movement on peace settlement issues, was pessimistic and cynical about every Palestinian, including [PA chairman Mahmoud] Abbas, and asserted the ball was in the Palestinians' court because 'the problem was not with us.'"