Lieberman Threatens Lawsuit, Gadi Taub Retracts Allegations Two Days Before Election

Two days before the Knesset elections, Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman MK Avigdor Lieberman and his party sent a warning letter to Gadi Taub and Victor Kurtzke regarding publications about Lieberman and his family. The letter demanded the removal of the publications, the issuance of a correction and apology, and a commitment to refrain from spreading similar claims in the future. The letter alleged that the publications claimed that while Lieberman served as Defense Minister, his sons met with a real estate developer in Moscow concerning land, after which the Defense Ministry allegedly withdrew its objection to the release of a firing range area, enabling construction. Lieberman and Yisrael Beiteinu vehemently deny these claims, calling them false. According to the warning letter, these allegations had previously surfaced in a 2019 publication, leading to a criminal complaint against Yoav Yitzhak and his website. The letter further stated that during that proceeding, a document from the Defense Minister's aide was presented, indicating that the security establishment's objection to construction was removed in 2001, during Binyamin Ben Eliezer's tenure as Defense Minister. Lieberman and the party also argued that publishing these claims so close to the October 27th elections raises concerns about an intent to harm them. The letter noted that Taub and Kurtzke did not seek their response before publishing. Yisrael Beiteinu stated that Taub removed the publications after receiving the warning letter. The party warned that if the demands were not met, legal action under the Defamation Law would be considered.