Lieberman: MKs undermined State's security

Former foreign minister lashes out at lawmakers who questioned gag order in Australian prisoner affair during Knesset debate

Ynet |Published: 02.13.13 , 10:07

Former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Wednesday addressed remarks made by Knesset members who urged Justice Minister Yaakov Ne'eman to comment on publications of the alleged suicide of an Australian citizen in an Israeli prison.

"From what I understand," Lieberman told Army Radio, "there was another attempt here to undermine the State's security. Once and again, these people try to cause damage, try to justify the enemy. These people also express solidarity with the enemy at a time of war."

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In another interview on Israel Radio, Lieberman reiterated the accusations, saying "unfortunately, we see these attempts by a number of Knesset members, especially those who identify with terror organizations or some of them, some of them at least clearly represent the terror organization in the Israeli Knesset, who repeatedly try to undermine Israel's security and violate censorship laws."

Asked who he was referring to, Lieberman replied: "First of all I am referring to Ahmad Tibi, who during Operation Pillar of Defense publicly and openly expressed solidarity with terror organizations like Hamas, Hezbollah, Jihad and others.

"Those same leftist MKs, who keep silent as more than 1,000 Palestinians are murdered in refugee camps in Syria in recent months, miss no opportunity to undermine the State's security."

ח"כ טיבי. שאילתה בכנסת (צילום: אוהד צויגנברג)

MK Ahmad Tibi at Knesset, Tuesday (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

Asked whether the affair involved a security prisoner, the former minister replied: "I have no idea."

He clarified that "when the censor issues a gag order, it is safe to assume that it's security-related. I have nothing further to say."

He expressed his hope that the lawmakers who started the Knesset discussion would be dealt with. "The Knesset has tools too. I hope the Knesset acts. There is a House Committee. There is an Ethics Committee, there are tools and they must be used. We must not get used to that reality."

Asked whether he wanted to live in a country in which a person is jailed without anyone's knowledge, Lieberman replied: "I have no idea, but I saw the way the United States fought for its security in the WikiLeaks affair. When I compare it to what is going on here, with a journalist or a soldier who leaks things, there is no doubt that we won't teach the US about democracy but that we have a lot to learn from the US about protecting democracy."

MK Miri Regev (Likud Beiteinu), a former IDF spokeswoman and chief military censor, commented on the affair as well, saying that "MKs Dov Khenin, Ahmad Tibi and Zahava Gal-On took advantage of their immunity to undermine the State's security.

"I have turned to the Knesset's Ethics Committee to discuss this violation immediately. I will also turn to the attorney general," she warned.

"The MKs violated a gag order. Their remarks helped Israeli and foreign media in complete violation of all codes and agreement between the censor and media outlets."