Avigdor Lieberman convened his Yisrael Beiteinu party on Wednesday for a press conference in Yad HaShmonah - a "missionary village," according to the Yad L'Achim anti-missionary organization. Yad HaShmonah is a moshav west of Jerusalem, whose members are Messianic Jews and Christians.

Party spokesperson Irena Ettinger, asked by IsraelNationalNews why Yad HaShmonah was chosen for the press conference, said no ulterior motives were involved. “It is a convenient location between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, with a nice-sized hall, and that’s it,” she said.  A spokesman for MK Stas Mesezhnikov - placed in the #3 position, behind only Lieberman and veteran MK Uzi Landau - was asked the same question. He said he had not known of the town’s missionary orientation, and that he would look into the matter and bring it up with party leaders regarding future party gatherings.