Israel Matzav

Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon is the prime witness against Avigdor Lieberman

Three weeks ago, Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon was dumped from Yisrael Beiteinu's Knesset list, where he had previously occupied the #2 slot. There's been a lot of speculation since about why Ayalon was cut loose. But tonight it looks like Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman may pay with his career for cutting Ayalon loose. It turns out that Danny Ayalon is the star witness behind new charges against his boss, Avigdor Lieberman, in what could yet become one of the biggest political scandals in Israeli history.

Both Channel 2 and Channel 10 confirmed Monday night media reports from previous days that Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon is a main source of new and more serious accusations against Yisrael Beytenu party leader Avigdor Liberman in the indictment against him in the Belarus Ambassador Affair, which could lead to new charges of active fraud.

Ayalon's reported statements would also contradict Liberman's story that he took no active role in the affair, though Ayalon has denied that he was even questioned, and Liberman has maintained his innocence on all charges.

... 

The new allegations against Liberman, which started to surface last week, are that Liberman actively interfered in the appointment process on Ben-Aryeh's behalf.

The new allegations, which the reports said stem primarily from Ayalon, who was head of the appointments committee and involved in the proceedings, would move the charges from the realm of passive fraud to active fraud, with potentially more serious applicable punishments and political consequences. 

The Channel 10 report added that several other witnesses from the appointments committee confirm and strengthen Ayalon's statements regarding Liberman's alleged conduct.

Channel 2 reported that Liberman will be re-questioned this coming weekend regarding Ayalon's new allegations.

Liberman is expected to try to defend against Ayalon's statements by saying that it is just Ayalon taking revenge against him for recently being left off Yisrael Beytenu's list for the next Knesset, Channel 2 said.

Holy....

It sounds like Lieberman is going to be very sorry he left Ayalon off that list.

Labels: Avigdor Lieberman, Danny Ayalon, Yisrael Beiteinu

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:13 AM