Israel’s attorney general announced that Avigdor Lieberman, the hard-line foreign minister in President Binyamin Netanyahu’s cabinet, is facing possible indictment on corruption charges. The prosecutor said Lieberman will be allowed a final hearing before charges are made formal. If Lieberman is indeed charged, he would probably be required to leave his post. Israel’s Supreme Court ruled in 1993 that a prime minister was required to fire government officials who have been indicted on criminal charges.
The allegations have dogged Lieberman for years and he has denied any wrongdoing. The charges announced last week include numerous offenses, including fraud, breach of trust, aggravated fraud, money laundering, and harassing a witness, according to news reports. The allegations against the foreign minister apparently involve a series of shell companies and bank accounts reportedly connected to people close to him.
Lieberman has been an outspoken public official. He has questioned the loyalty of Israel’s 1.5 million Arab residents and is a fervent backer of the country’s contentious policy of seizing land in the West Bank and constructing homes. He drew criticism this week when he flushed a toilet during a live radio program while talking about Hamas. As to the new charges, Lieberman remained defiant. “I hate to disappoint you, but I have no intention of leaving the government,” he said.
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Bill B of NC 1:30PM April 19, 2011