Former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who stepped down from his post due to an indictment filed against him last month, hinted on Monday that if he is convicted he will not continue to serve in the Knesset, regardless of whether or not the law dictates his resignation. Lieberman has been under investigation for corruption for over a decade and was recently indicted for allegedly procuring privileged information about the police investigation against him from then-ambassador to Belarus Ze'ev Ben Aryeh in exchange for a promotion. On Monday, in an interview with Army Radio, Lieberman responded to remarks made by Yair Shamir, number 4 on the joint Likud-Yisrael Beytenu Knesset list, who said earlier this month that if convicted, Lieberman should quit even he is not legally forced to. "A public figure who slips up needs to vacate his seat and make room for someone who didn't slip up. If Lieberman is convicted, it holds true for him too," Shamir had said. Lieberman replied that "I agree with [Shamir]. I think that there should be very clear guidelines, and I have no problem with this remark. There is no doubt that Shamir will hold an important position in the Likud-Beytenu government." If Lieberman is convicted, the court will have to decide whether to attach moral turpitude to the conviction. If moral turpitude is attached, Lieberman would legally be barred from politics, at least for the current term. "I suppose that if there is moral turpitude, a person needs to draw conclusions. Since I am very familiar with the facts, I have no doubt that I will be found innocent once the process is complete," Lieberman added. He also said that if he is found innocent and fit to serve as a minister, he would like to return to the position of foreign minister. "I have never disguised my desire to continue on in the Foreign Ministry. If that becomes impossible, I would like to chair the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee so I can be involved in all the important decisions that we are forced to make." Lieberman also touched on the latest polls, which predict that the joint Likud-Beytenu list will win 33 to 34 Knesset seats. "I have stopped taking polls seriously," he said. "My feeling is that the polls have become a part of the campaign and that the media have gone from covering the election process to playing an active roll in it.
Lieberman hints: If convicted, I will quit politics
Remarks come in response to comments by Likud Beytenu no. 4 Yair Shamir, who called on Lieberman to resign from Knesset if he is convicted, regardless of whether he is required to do so by law • "I agree with him," Lieberman tells Army Radio.
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