Minister Gilad Erdan
Minister Gilad ErdanOhad Tsoyenburg, Paul, Flash 90

Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan (Likud) responded this morning (Sunday) for the first time to the investigations against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

"I stand with the Prime Minister," said Erdan, explaining, "These reports are certainly not pleasant, certainly not for me, nor for the rest of the Likud leadership. I hope they conclude as the Prime Minister says, with nothing."

Erdan also referred in an Army Radio interview to the international conference which convenes today in Paris, defending the Prime Minister's decision to refrain from participating.

"This conference is pre-convened on the basis of an automatic majority against Israel's side," said Erdan.

"Any Israeli presence in this conference would legitimize a misguided process that accepts the position of those who do not combat terrorism but rather pay salaries to the families of terrorists."