Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., May 04, 2007 Iyyar 16, 5767 | | Israel Time: 18:21 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Print Edition
Diplomacy
Defense Opinion National Arts & Leisure Anglo File Sports Travel  
Magazine Week's End
Q&A
Business Underground Jewish World Real Estate Advertising  
Bookmark to del.icio.us
Balad Chairman Azmi Bishara talking on the phone while in Cairo last week (Archives)
Last update - 16:44 03/05/2007
Bishara calls allegations he aided enemies a 'fabrication'
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent

In an interview for the Beirut newspaper Al Ahabar released Thursday,
Ex-MK and Balad Chair Azmi Bishara rejected the allegations that he aided Hezbollah during the Second Lebanon War.

Bishara called the suspicions a "fabrication" and "an attempt to turn an educated leader into a lowly informant". He added that all the alleged information he passed could be found in open media sources.

Advertisement

Bishara also called the suspicions that he received laundered money, "a soap bubble" and added that "there is no evidence, they presented no evidence. I guess there isn't any. Also, had the funds been political donations... we would not have transferred them in that matter."

"Their goal is to turn the Palestinian political and cultural leadership inside [Israel] into security threats who work with Islamic or resistance movements so that no one in the West or East, will believe that there is such a thing as Arab democrats," Bishara added in the interview.

Bishara is suspected of holding secret and continuous contact with Hezbollah intelligence operatives collecting information on Israel during the Second Lebanon War, the police and Shin Bet revealed on Wednesday. Bishara is also suspected of having secret contacts with another foreign intelligence body whose identity has not been revealed.

Along with the espionage investigation, the authorities are looking into suspicions that Bishara violated laws against funding terrorism and money laundering. Investigators say Bishara received sums of cash totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars for a yet-to-be specified reason.

Bookmark to del.icio.us
Grave celebration
At Yehoshua Bin Nun's grave in the Palestinian village Kifl Harith, religious Jews rejoice.
Seeing red
Claims Israeli students only care when their pockets are hit are angering strike leaders.
  1.   Where is Bishara`s allegiance? 15:20  |  Esther 03/05/07
  2.   Convenient timing 15:33  |  Isaac Brooks 03/05/07
  3.   Fabrications and Falsehoods 16:08  |  J of Hollywood 03/05/07
  4.   Fabrications 16:24  |  Daniel 03/05/07
  5.   when scandals happen to israel this happens 16:45  |  Nina 03/05/07
  6.   isaac Broos Bravo thank god for people with brains 16:48  |  Lolita 03/05/07
  7.   #5 Nina 16:58  |  * BEN JABO 03/05/07
  8.   #3 lolita...you right, thank god 4 people with brain... 17:12  |  Stright 2 the point 03/05/07
  9.   The other openion 17:20  |  Etan 03/05/07
  10.   Is he an idiot? 17:34  |  ASA 03/05/07
  11.   Mr Brooks number 2. 17:50  |  David Nigel Braham 03/05/07
  12.   Innocent until proven guilty 17:51  |  Advocate 03/05/07
  13.   Innocent!!! 17:56  |  R. Rosenfeld 03/05/07
  14.   To David Nigel Braham @ 11 17:59  |  Brazilian 03/05/07
  15.   Esther and others Re: Allegiance 19:19  |  Tareq 03/05/07
  16.   Tareq: when you say "us", i assume that you mean... 20:02  |  Richard S 03/05/07
  17.   Haaretz - Publish Bishara`s LA Times Response 20:04  |  chet 03/05/07
  18.   #2, Isaac Brooks. Timing is convenient. For something else too 20:10  |  zmogus 03/05/07
  19.   Brazilian number 14. 20:15  |  David Nigel Braham 03/05/07
  20.   Bishara`s letter 20:32  |  Joe 03/05/07
  21.   Bishara`s charming reverse discrimination 21:19  |  Michelle 03/05/07
  22.   Treason??? 21:26  |  yuval 03/05/07
  23.   Just remember how Bishara described himself 21:37  |  Chick Corea 03/05/07
  24.   Careerism 21:54  |  ARTH 03/05/07
  25.   Richard S 22:04  |  Tareq 03/05/07
  26.   I believe him 22:12  |  natan 03/05/07
  27.   zmogus` ignorance 22:52  |  Jake 03/05/07
  28.   Chet, Yasser Arafat also used to write in the NY Times 23:00  |  Jake 03/05/07
  29.   Crazy Jewish Lefties Leaping to Bishara`s Defense 23:08  |  Tod Zuckerman 03/05/07
  30.   "The authorities are looking into suspicions..." 23:41  |  Maureen Ann 03/05/07
  31.   The only `Fabrications` that involve Bishara are 00:42  |  Chick Corea 04/05/07
  32.   dig the shades 02:00  |  eli 04/05/07
  33.   #21, Michelle. Case is rather opposite to positive discrimination 12:31  |  zmogus 04/05/07
  34.   Erratum #21, Michelle. Case is rather opposite to posit. discrim. 12:37  |  zmogus 04/05/07
  35.   #28, Jake to Chet. That`s cosmic nonsense. See yourself. 13:41  |  zmogus 04/05/07
  36.   #27, Jake. Well, Jake, facing one`s errors may be tiring 14:31  |  zmogus 04/05/07
  37.   #30 Maureen Ann- SECOND TRY 18:13  |  * BEN JABO 04/05/07
 Today Online
U.S. presents Israel, PA with detailed demands
Responses: 217
Sources: Evidence on Bishara sufficient for indictment
Responses: 35
Avi Issacharoff: The world has forgotten about Gaza
Responses: 54
Editorial: Peres must assume temporary leadership of country
Responses: 28
Mairovich: Israel will again correct failures by going to war
Responses: 32
Rosner's Domain
* Bush, Rice, Olmert, Livni: the State of affairs
* What Americans can learn from the Winogard report
* Poll: What should be done now politically?
* Iraq and Lebanon: What happens when you don't win


More Headlines
15:20 PMO: Israel can't commit to some of U.S. demands
14:12 Olmert vows to stay on despite mass rally calling on him to quit
16:32 PA officials deny reports Abbas may resign over int'l sanctions
16:12 Junior academic staff slams university heads' ultimatum to students
16:09 Police Chief Cohen appoints new officers to top positions
16:19 Sources: Evidence on Bishara case sufficient for indictment
17:19 Jewish monument in Germany vandalized a second time in days
14:03 Indictment filed against alleged organized crime boss Asi Abutbul
02:20 Kadima, PM fear Winograd backlash will push Labor to quit government
Previous Editions
Special Offers
Advertisement
Skin Care Products
Beauty and skin care from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 10% off!
JOIN FREE AT JDATE.COM
The most popular online Jewish dating community in the world! Explore the possibilities! Click Here!
A Different Israel Experience
Unique programs for adults of all ages
Holiday Inn and Crown Plaza Israel
Lowest internet rate Guaranteed at ichotelsgroup.com !
Learn Hebrew Online
Learn Hebrew from the best teachers in Israel live over the Internet
Home| Print Edition| Diplomacy| Opinion| Arts & Leisure| Sports| Jewish World| Underground| Site rules|
© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved