Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein on Tuesday sent a response to the Movement for
Citizens for Proper Administration and Social and Legal Justice (OMETZ), saying
he would examine the issue raised regarding whether there is any legal problem
if Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu “holds” the post of foreign minister for
Avigdor Liberman while Liberman is on trial.
The letter specifically
reaffirmed that “nothing herein expresses an opinion or takes a position on the
merits of your request.” A Justice Ministry source played down the issue even
more, saying the letter was mostly a “technical issue,” just conveying to OMETZ
that its request was received, but that the chances of there being a “legal
problem” were low.
Liberman previously held the post of foreign minister
but resigned last year after he was indicted for fraud.
OMETZ requested
that Weinstein formally declare illegal any arrangement by which the post would
be held for Liberman, which Liberman himself has publicly bragged
about.
But many prime ministers have held multiple portfolios in the past
and it might be difficult to argue that even Liberman’s public bragging could
constitute proof of any formal arrangement that could be analyzed on a legal
level.