State: No reason to disqualify Lieberman from office
Responding to Movement for Quality Government petition, State Prosecutor's Office says has no legal grounds to stop Yisrael Beiteinu chairman from becoming next foreign minister since police probe against him is ongoing, undecided
The State Prosecutor's Office informed the High Court of Justice on Monday that it found no legal grounds to contest appointing Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman as
Israel's next
foreign minister.
The State was responding to a petition filed by the Movement for Quality Government in Israel, demanding Lieberman be disqualified from office due to the police investigations against
him.
Legalities
Petition: Lieberman unfit for high office / Aviad Glickman
Movement for Quality Government asks High Court to quash coalition deal assuring Yisrael Beiteinu head position of foreign minister, deputy PM; says pending police probes against him pose clear problem in naming him to such senior positions
"The petition focuses on issues regarding the political and public spheres, not the legal one," said the State's brief, adding that while allowing a person subjected to a criminal investigation serve in such a high government office is problematic, it is not a matter for the court to rule on, but rather a matter for the public to decide on.
The State further informed the court that the investigation against Yisrael Beiteinu's chairman
is in its final stages and that its sensitive nature has made it a top priority for the police.
Nevertheless, added the brief, since the inquiry is an ongoing one, it is too soon to tell whether the police will have the necessary evidence to indict Lieberman - and if so – what charges would such an indictment include.
Any decisions regarding the appropriateness of the nomination are for the Knesset to make, concluded the State.
As for the second issue raised by the Movement for Quality Government, pertaining to the nomination of a member of Yisrael Beiteinu to the Public Security Ministry, the State said that though a shadow of conflict of interest may apply, there is no legal grounds to prevent such a nomination.
RSS
