Yisrael Beiteinu head Avigdor Lieberman says police are dragging out an investigation into his alleged wrongdoing, while police say he continues to commit crimes. The charges were heard Monday when Lieberman's complaint against the police was heard in the Supreme Court.
Lieberman's attorney argued that the lengthy investigation had caused his client irreversible damages. No other investigation in Israel's history has gone on for as long as Lieberman's, he argued, saying police had first targeted Lieberman in 1996 and had officially opened an investigation by 2000.
Superintendent Assaf Wahlfish of the National Fraud Unit defended the lengthy investigation, saying police were looking into crimes committed “to this very day.” The investigation is dragging on due to constant new material, he argued.
Attorney Raz Nizri, the attorney general's deputy, estimated that the investigation would conclude in the near future. “If there are no unexpected developments, the investigation will end soon after Lieberman is questioned,” he told the court.
The judges criticized the length of the investigation. “How can it be that a case has been open since 2000?” Justice Ayala Procaccia wondered.
Lieberman is accused of bribery and money laundering. The case hit headlines shortly before the most recent national elections as police arrested several of his colleagues. Despite the accusations, Lieberman's party gained four seats in the elections to reach a total of 15, thus becoming the third-largest party in the Knesset.