Israel foreign minister interrogated on fraud case

JERUSALEM – Israeli police interrogated the country’s new hardline foreign minister for more than seven hours on Thursday in connection with an ongoing bribery investigation.

Avigdor Lieberman was questioned at the headquarters of the national fraud squad in central Israel on allegations of receiving bribes, money laundering and breach of trust, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

The questioning was connected to a long-standing investigation into Lieberman’s business dealings, Rosenfeld said. The foreign minister’s lawyer and daughter have also been questioned in the case. Lieberman denies any wrongdoing and says the probe is politically motivated.

“This investigation is going on for 13 years. In today’s investigation Lieberman cooperated and answered investigators’ questions,” Lieberman spokeswoman Irena Etinger said.

Lieberman took office this week as foreign minister.