Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid rejects claims made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netnayahu and Likud MKs that he is behind an subversive campaign to bring down the government via police investigations
“Don’t threaten me for answering a police summons to give testimony, and for telling the truth,” he says during an interview with Hadashot news, in comments directed at critics from the ruling party.
Police recommended Tuesday that Netanyahu be indicted for a series of corruption charges including bribery, fraud, and breach of trust.
Lapid — a former finance minister under Netanyahu and now his political rival — provided police with evidence that the prime minister had tried to push legislation to extend the period for which new immigrants and returning Israelis are exempt from declaring and paying tax on income earned overseas, a move which could have saved billionaire Hollywood movie producer Arnon Milchan millions of dollars.
He has since become the focus of Likud responses, accusing him of turning to police after failing to beat Netnayahu in elections.
“I’m not a central witness as has been claimed,” he says. “A central witness is someone who brought them the story. I didn’t bring them the story. I was asked about my part in it and I told the truth.”
Lapid says he “didn’t even remember the incident until they asked him about it.”
“I blocked the law because I work for the citizens of Israel not tycoons. And it wasn’t good for the citizens of Israel,” he adds.
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From the Liveblog of
Thursday, February 15, 2018
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