Coalition chairman David Bitan has responded to a Haaretz report that the police were investigating suspected criminal offenses against him by saying, "Every reasonable person understands that the timing of the publication of the report is not coincidental, and that there is an attempt to weaken my hand. It will not help, I will carry out my public activity as I believeit. The despicable campaign of Haaretz against the people of the right and against anyone who does not agree with its agenda broke new records this morning."
The Likud lawmaker continued, "The gap between the questions sent to me and the recycled information that was published speaks for itself. For a long time the newspaper has been recycling old stories that were examined by all law enforcement agencies and closed. I served as a member of the [Rishon Lezion] city council for 28 year and I made thousands of decisions for the benefit of one side and the detriment of the other. This is part of public activity. The attempt to frighten me is not going to work. My hands are clean."