Lieberman
Photo: AFP
Lieberman: 'Mysterious forces' trying to hurt us ahead of elections
Yisrael Beiteinu leader addresses allegations against his party members, saying he is 'sure of the innocence of all of our friends.'
Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman commented for the first time Friday on allegations of corruptions raised against members of his party, saying he was "sure of the innocence of all of our friends."
Writing on his Facebook page, Lieberman accused "mysterious forces" of intentionally stirring up the scandal at this timing. "When it comes to Yisrael Beiteinu - there are no elections without investigations," he noted.
Lieberman: 'I'm sure of our friends' innocence' (Photo: Amit Sha'al, Calcalist)
"I'm sure of the innocence of all of our friends, and remind (everyone) once again not to be quick to sentence people because in a democratic society, a person is innocent unless otherwise proven," he went on to say.
The foreign minister said he "completely rejects the attempt to smear Yisrael Beiteinu," promising the party will know how to deal with the allegations and come out stronger.
While over two dozen suspects have already been arrested, Deputy Minister Faina Kirschenbaum, who is at the center of the allegations, has yet to be taken into custody thanks to her immunity as a member of Knesset. Police is investigating 15 different affairs that are tied together by Kirschenbaum.
Suspicions against Kirschenbaum, and many others in Yisrael Beiteinu as well as senior officials in organizations and sport unions, continue piling up.
Police is expected to summon more suspects for questioning and more arrests could be made after some 30 people have already been brought for a remand extension in the past two days.
Kirschenbaum's parliamentarian assistant Vicka Rabin, who has also been arrested, is suspected of obstructing justice by allegedly destroying incriminating documents after the word of the scandal leaked online and on WhatsApp. She allegedly started destroying the documents after police issued a gag order on the investigation, a move that confirmed to some of those involved, including Rabin, that there was an investigation against them.
