Israel Police investigators have recommended to the State Attorney General’s office that a criminal indictment be handed down against Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and former Israeli Ambassador to Belarus Ze’ev Ben-Aryeh. The case pertains to a period when Lieberman served as an MK, in 2008, with police alleging that during a trip to Belarus, Ben-Aryeh provided classified documents to Lieberman to assist him in responding to questions in an ongoing police investigation against him.

Israel Police officials handed Ben-Aryeh an envelope containing documents pertaining to the investigation against Lieberman, documents that he was to hand over to Belarus officials. The documents contained information provided by police, including bank account numbers and other information pointing to Lieberman’s alleged shell companies and its employees. The documents were intended for Belarus justice officials, who were to assist in the investigation, but Ben-Aryeh allegedly tipped his friend Lieberman off.

Ben-Aryeh told Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) on Tuesday morning that the charges are baseless, insisting he never handed any classified documents to Lieberman.

Charges against the senior minister could include money laundering, tampering with an investigation, obstructing justice, fraudulent receipt of goods, accepting bribes and breach of trust.

If served with an indictment, Lieberman will be compelled to step down from office.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)