Success is never blamed

Interview with the former head of the secret intelligence service for relations with the Jews of the USSR and Eastern Europe "Nativ" Yakov Kedmi

On November 20, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit Moscow. During the visit, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman will perform his duties. After a high-profile criminal case, he was again sworn in. The former head of the secret intelligence service for relations with the Jews of the USSR and Eastern Europe "Nativ" Yakov Kedmi commented to our correspondent about what is behind the court's decision.

On November 20, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit Moscow and meet with President Putin. The topics of negotiations are the discussion of Iran's nuclear program and the lifting of economic sanctions, the situation in Syria. During the visit, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman will act as Prime Minister of Israel. After a high-profile criminal case, he was again sworn in.

“Welcome home,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu greeted his “unsinkable” counterpart.

The former head of the secret intelligence service for relations with the Jews of the USSR and Eastern Europe "Nativ" Yakov Kedmi commented to our correspondent about what is behind the court's decision.

Ten months ago, Avigdor Lieberman resigned due to allegations of breach of public trust and taking his case to court. During all this time, he was retained as a key minister in the Netanyahu government. What connects these two politicians? Who are they to each other? Business partners? Political comrades? Competitors?

- At one time they were comrades-in-arms in the political struggle. Then Lieberman was the head of the campaign headquarters of Netanyahu's Likud party. Today they are political rivals, but in need of mutual political support. Lieberman needs Netanyahu to stay in power. Lieberman, on the other hand, uses his proximity to the prime minister to strengthen his political position as foreign minister. In terms of business, they never had a business relationship.

What is Lieberman's role in Netanyahu's political career?

- Netanyahu became the leader of the Likud, thanks to the actions of Lieberman, as the head of his campaign headquarters in 1993. Also, the 1996 elections, when Netanyahu became prime minister, ended in his victory, largely thanks to the actions of Lieberman.

Why, then, did he step down as Likud CEO in 1997? What a company in the media. Who did not please?

Lieberman stepped down as Gen. Director of Likud because of the strong resistance to him by the party apparatus and the Central Committee of Likud. At that moment he was still the Director of Bibi's Office and believed that he had enough political influence.

“Obviously, he left to create his own party. And he perfectly understood that he could become a leader among "his own". Speak the same language with voters and think in categories understandable to those who went through the school of the USSR. Doesn't his party "Our Home Israel" resemble the structure of the CPSU?

- Nothing in common.

- In that case, how did the idea of ​​creating a party come about? Who financed it. Who specifically developed its concept? Who stood at the origins except Lieberman.

- The party was created by Lieberman, the program and activities are determined exclusively by him. All other ordinary performers chosen by Lieberman on the basis of personal loyalty and reliability. According to open source and press reports, partly funded by Mikhail Cherny and Martin Schlaf.

Experts consider the investigations against Chernoy in the case of the Beyzek company to be politically motivated and conditioned by connections with the right-wing political camp and personal friendship with Avigdor Lieberman.

From 1996 to 2007, Cherny's suspicions of links with the Russian mafia were investigated in Switzerland. In 2008, the court fully acquitted him. In 2010, for unfounded suspicions, the court paid Cherny compensation for moral damage in the amount of 30 thousand Swiss francs. In 2006, he filed a lawsuit against the owner of the aluminum company Rusal, billionaire Oleg Deripaska, demanding that he be paid packages and dividends of 20% of the shares, which he holds on behalf of Chernoy.

The conflict between the two aluminum tycoons was accompanied by a scandal in the field of black PR technologies, illegal wiretapping, collection of compromising evidence and blackmail.”

Why is Netanyahu-Lieberman today? Or why Lieberman - Netanyahu.

- The Likud-NDI alliance provides Bibi with the post of prime minister. Lieberman's plans were to replace Bibi, at one time, as the leader of the Likud and, standing at the head of the right camp, fight for the post of prime minister.

- 17 years under investigation, allegations of ties with the shadow business and money laundering, corruption and taking bribes. How was it possible to stay in power all this time? How were cases and investigations opened and closed one after another?

- Cases were opened as soon as this or that information got to the police. In relation to Lieberman, law enforcement agencies conducted a total of about thirty investigations on various suspicions. Most of them were terminated due to lack of evidence. The allegations were never proven by the police or the courts. In connection with Chernoy, for example, no corpus delicti was found.

— Were these connections the reason for the expansion of his sphere of influence and the increase in political weight?

- Don't think. He always tried to stay on the political Olympus. I am not familiar with any major government decisions or Lieberman proposals that mattered or affected the state. In addition to the composition of the government coalition.

- What was Lieberman's commercial activity and its results in the post-Soviet space in the dashing 90s?

- I am not aware of his commercial activities in the CIS.

Let's get back to party issues. Has NDI changed now? Does she have a future?

- In fact, the party has not changed. Its future and present is connected with the political future of the leader. Lieberman's plan is to take over a larger party with the help of NDI.

- Sectoral Russian-speaking party. Fights for the rights of immigrants from the former USSR. Who is she fighting against?

- The party does not fight for the rights of the community, but uses certain problems and discontent of a part of the Russian-speaking emigrants to strengthen its political position, demagogically declaring that the enemy is the old state bureaucracy and the dominance of the “left”.

— Why immigrants from the USSR oppose themselves to repatriates from other countries. What kind of “special Russian way” is there in Israel?

- Some of them are trying to oppose themselves to Israeli society. Others proclaim hostility towards the Easterners who arrived earlier.

- Lieberman positions himself as an implacable spokesman for the far right. Repeatedly in different years he was appointed to government posts and then dismissed. Are you aware of his conflicts with Ehud Barak, with Ariel Sharon?

“These were political maneuvers to strengthen the support of one or another group of potential voters. His dismissal from office was an attempt by Sharon, who couldn't stomach Lieberman, to get rid of him. The political situation and the fact that Sharon left the political arena, and there were no clearly defined political leaders, contributed to this.

Will his position change today? And what will be his role in the negotiations on a peaceful settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the division of modern Israel into "two states for two peoples", in relation to Iran's nuclear program, the situation in Syria?

Lieberman's position was and is to come to power. He will choose the tactics that, in his opinion, will contribute to this. Including regarding the "two states" and other points in the Middle East.

Is his anti-Arab stance also a tribute to the political situation? Many accuse the minister of racism.

- This is an attempt to use anti-Arab sentiment in society as a tool to strengthen its political base. According to the well-known old principle: Beat the Arabs - save Israel.

- But still, his influence, as a diplomat, in relations between Russia and Israel is undoubted. Some believe that no one is better than him to play the role of mediator between Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Putin.

- Lieberman is not and cannot be an intermediary between Putin and Netanyahu as a person who has some kind of connection or special relationship with Putin. If Netanyahu sends Lieberman or determines that this is his representative or envoy to contact Putin, then, of course, he will be accepted as such. But not because of, allegedly, special relationships that simply do not exist. No more than other Russian-speaking politicians, and in accordance with his post, Minister of Foreign Affairs.