Ben-Eliezer: Stop this farce
Photo Dudi Vaaknin
Lieberman. Under investigation
Photo: Reuters
Ben Eliezer: Lieberman probe is delay of justice
Industry, Trade and Labor minister says court must make decision on foreign minister's case
Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer responded to accusations against Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who is suspected of disruption of justice in relation to the ongoing investigation against him.
Response
Ynet reporters
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman slams police in wake of new allegations; FM says he'll show up at Supreme Court Wednesday morning to file petition over probe leaks, invites journalists to attend
According to the information released by police Tuesday, Lieberman is believed to have received, in October 2008, a classified document about the probes he faced from Israel's then-ambassador in Belarus. Sources close to Lieberman dismissed the charges, saying Lieberman refused to take the document from the former envoy.
"The authorities need to bring Lieberman to justice, as they would anyone else. We need to stop this farce, which has been going on for13 years. If he's guilty he's guilty, if he's innocent he's innocent, but finish it already," the minister said, refusing to remark on whether Lieberman should be relieved of his post.
"What they are doing to him is delaying justice. Even in Zimbabwe an investigation of 13 years would be considered a delay of justice."
However the prosecution has presented an explanation for the lengthy process. State Prosecutor Moshe Lador said Tuesday, "Most of the investigation was used for court battles, with difficulties created by the other side in order to prevent us from obtaining the materials."
In an interview with Channel 1 Lador predicted that a decision in Lieberman's case would be made in a few weeks.
On Tuesday, the foreign minister was questioned for two hours by police on suspicions of obstruction of justice and breach of trust, following information indicating he obtained a copy of classified information from an investigation held against him.
Former Ambassador to Belarus Zeev Ben-Arieh – who is currently serving as the legal advisor in Lieberman's office - confessed to police that he received and passed on the sensitive documents to Lieberman in October 2008. According to the investigators, Ben-Arieh responded to all of their questions.
