The state is finally moving ahead with indictments against former officials in the Yisrael Beitenu party, which is headed by Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman.

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has ruled there is sufficient evidence against some of the players to justify moving ahead with a criminal indictment against former Tourism Minister Stav Mishenikov, former Deputy Minister Fanny Kirschenbaum and a number of other senior party officials.

The case is described as one of the largest and complex bribery cases in Israel, addressing actions of the suspects from 2009 to 2014. At least 13 others are facing criminal charges, not all from Yisrael Beitenu but they are all connected to actions pertaining to the party and its officials including a regional council treasurer, corporate officials and others who allegedly provided services to the party in exchange for budgetary and other considerations.

The case was billed as one of “widespread political corruption” during the investigation in 2015, and the charges facing the defendants range from tax fraud, breach of trust, money laundering and accepting and giving bribes.

The persons mentioned will be summoned for a pre-trial interview, their last chance to persuade the state not to move ahead with charges.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)