Lieberman on leaks affair: It's all nonsense

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman held a press conference Thursday in Ramat Gan and spoke of allegations that he had received classified information from former Israeli ambassador to Belarus, Zeev Ben-Arieh, about police investigations against him.

"(The allegations) are groundless," he said. "It's all intended to put pressure on the state prosecutor and legal advisor to act against me."

Lieberman also repeated that the publication of the affair was timed to undermine his political power. The affair, he said, was supposed to put pressure on the justice system and influence public opinion against him.

"I am truly sorry that this is how things work," he said. "It's a well-known scenario – there are always police 'leaks' that continue as a campaign against Yisrael Beitenu."

"It is the police's right to investigate every public figure," he continued. "However, I cannot accept that I am not permitted to present my version of the case, and I see how they systematically pull out additional details without me being able to respond to the core issue."

Lieberman also attacked Opposition Chairwoman MK Tzipi Livni for calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak out about the affair. He said he hadn't heard Livni speak in those terms when Haim Ramon criticized the justice system, "but I heard her yesterday (Wednesday). I am sorry the political system works in this way."

On Wednesday, Lieberman criticized Police Commissioner Dudi Cohen, and petitioned the High Court to reopen the case of police leaks from investigations in 2008.

"They warn me to remain silent while the police commissioner tells all and twists the story… it was the mother and father of all obstructions of justice."

Internal Security Ministry Yitzhak Aharonovitch, who is a member of Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu party, refused to comment on the matter.