The acquittal of former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Tuesday of corruption charges has apparently produced shock waves among officials in the state prosecution, with one official saying that the pending corruption case against Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman will also be reviewed in light of the outcome of the Olmert trial. Deputy Attorney-General for Criminal Affairs Raz Nizri said on Thursday that due to the court's decision regarding Olmert, an indictment against Lieberman will be reviewed. Lieberman had two hearings with Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein in January to determine if he would be indicted on various charges of fraud, breach of trust, money laundering, and harassing a witness. Prosecutors suspect Lieberman of using shell companies and third-party accounts to receive more than $1.2 million illicitly while in public office, including from foreign businessmen with interests in Israel. Lieberman denies any wrongdoing, but an indictment against the foreign minister and Yisrael Beytenu party chairman would rock the political establishment. If Lieberman is charged, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be required to dismiss him from his government. While one of Israels Basic Laws states that the government must force a minister to quit his position only if he or she is convicted of a crime, a High Court of Justice ruling in the 1990s, issued in the cases of former Interior Minister Aryeh Deri and former Communications Minister Raphael Pinchasi, states that a minister is required to step down the moment an indictment is submitted against him or her. The pending indictment alleges that Lieberman received millions of dollars from private businessmen abroad, among them Austrian Martin Schlaff, Israeli-Uzbeki Michael Cherney, and diamond tycoons Dan Gertler and Daniel Gittenstein, who allegedly channeled funds through what may have been front companies and corporations owned by Lieberman. Prosecutors say Lieberman and his confidants are suspected of trying to cover up dealings "through methodical and protracted actions defrauding the public and national institutions." Netanyahu has publicly supported Lieberman, saying in a statement that he hoped the foreign minister would "prove his innocence" and "continue to make his public contribution." At a conference in Eliat, Nizri said that Lieberman's case would be reviewed "not because the prosecution fears it was not handled properly but because we have a legal obligation to do so." "Olmert was acquitted and that case is similar to Lieberman's case," Nizri said. Weinstein's final decision on whether or not to put Lieberman on trial is expected to be announced next month.
After Olmert acquittal, is Lieberman next?
Deputy Attorney-General for Criminal Affairs Raz Nizri says Lieberman corruption case to be reviewed in light of Olmert's acquittals • Nizri: "Olmert was acquitted and that case is similar to Lieberman's case."
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