A rising star of the secular far-right and the number two on the Likud-Beiteinu list, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman is facing calls to resign tonight after news he has been indicted on charges of fraud and money-laundering related to hundreds of millions of dollars he received from foreign businessmen while in office.
The initial police investigation into the allegations also accused him of receiving bribes, but this was not among the charges, which has led some analysts to believe he will likely escape with little major harm.
Lieberman insisted that he has been told by his lawyers that he is not obliged to resign just because he’s been indicted on several charges, and says that he will make a “final decision” on the matter after further consultations.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Likud-Beiteinu’s number one, praised his Attorney General for dropping the more serious charges, while insisting that he believes Lieberman will be able to prove his “innocence” on the matter.
A corrupt israeli, no way! Sounds too good to be true. netenyahoo will keep him no matter what. Those criminal lunatics are made for each other.
Edit: surprised that he's gona after all. However vermin like him rarely go away for good. He'll keep popping up. Maybe he'll end up working for AIPAC as a lobbyist in US congress.
Hell, former Israeli President Moshe Katsav was compelled to resign after having been charged with rape and sexual harrassment involving female staff; but, he didn't receive the punishment that would fit the crimes.
I doubt very much that Avigdor Lieberman will ever be prosecuted for his financial crimes. He wouldn;t be the first Israeli official who got away with fraud, bribes, and other financial crimes. Besides, Lieberman and his Likud Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu,, are close. Both Netanyahu's and Lieberman;s political parties have recently merged into the Likud-Beitenu Party, pushing Israel further to the Right.
Wouldn't it be great if Lieberman was forced out by the fraud and bribery charges against him.; it would certainly change the face of the upcoming elections due to be held sometime in January. However, you have a good point here, Rick. Bibi needs Lieberman on his team to win,
Taxpayers in the USA and Israel are paying for this – the money comes from somewhere. It's from our pockets.
What a surprise…., like there is single honest man or women working at the office..,
Anyone read Uri Avnery recently? He wrote on Israeli politics, and warned Netanyahoo that he was likely to find Lieberman sticking a knife in his back someday. That was his read on the present politics and coalitions in Israel. That the combined lists of Bibi and Lieberman would win the election, but that the biggest danger to Netanyahoo was that Lieberman would stab him in the back someday after the elections.
Looks like Bibi struck first.
Just the latest entry into his criminal record, which also includes the physical abuse of a child.
Why do Jews around the world let these men speak on their behalf?
Note no playing of the anti-semitic card. If a non-Israeli had raised the charges, you can bet that would have been the first card played.
Notice he is charged with corruption, but the war criminals who did commit war crimes and crimes against humanity in that hell hole are walking free and with swagger, especially when they are in the US, their bitch in chief.
Then news anchors and most of who is who in the US refer to this abomination as a light unto nations, the most moral country in history. Finally, it is worshipped by most ex-KKK red necks who call themselves now christian zionists. What is wrong with that picture?
the US congress will defend hi to the last shkel…
Uri Avnery thinks Avigdor is going to mount a palace coup against Bibi from the extreme right. If Avnery's surmise is correct, perhaps these fraud and money laundering charges (with the nuclear charge of bribery held in reserve) are Bibi's way of keeping Lieberman on the reservation while also holding his coalition together.