• Tools:
• Save |
• Print |
• E-mail |
• Most Popular |

Israel probes Arab politician accused of aiding Hezbollah

Adjust font size:

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israeli police announced Wednesday they are investigating an Israeli-Arab politician suspected of laundering money and passing information to the enemy during Israel's war with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon last summer.

Police announced the charges against Azmi Bishara after a court-imposed gag order was lifted.

Bishara "received large sums of money from overseas sources which he received personally," according to the Israeli police.

The charges against Bishara include assisting the enemy during a time of war, passing information to the enemy, being in contact with a foreign agent, and violation of money-laundering laws.

Bishara resigned from Israel's parliament, the Knesset, on Sunday. He submitted his resignation to the Israeli Embassy in Cairo, Egypt, giving up his parliamentary immunity from the charges.

Israeli police said they have questioned Bishara twice. During the last meeting, he said he intended to leave the country for a number of days but agreed to return to complete the investigation on a specific date, according to police.

In the past Bishara has been criticized for his controversial visits to Syria and Lebanon -- countries that house Hezbollah guerrillas notorious for launching attacks on Israeli soil.

Although he has denied condoning violence against Israel, Bishara has been criticized for speaking abroad in support of Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.

Bishara, a Christian, co-founded the Arab party Balad in 1995. One of Israel's most controversial parties, it objects to defining Israel as a Jewish state.

In 2003, Israel's High Court overturned the decision by the Central Elections Committee to bar Bishara's party from running during an election. The committee had charged that the party should be disqualified for objecting to Israel's existence as a Jewish state.

Bishara was one of 12 Arab Knesset members. Israeli Arabs make up about 20 percent of Israel's population of 6 million.

CNN's Michal Zippori and Shira Medding contributed to this report.

Get up-to-the minute news from CNN CNN.com gives you the latest stories and video from the around the world, with in-depth coverage of U.S. news, politics, entertainment, health, crime, tech and more.

---

• Ebola toll rises in 'unprecedented' outbreak
• Report: MH370 a criminal investigation
• Life inside the densest place on earth
• Ocean Shield's mission of hope, uncertainty
• Cosmetics queen fights skin bleaching

• Irish PM to quit over payments scandal
• NATO chief: Afghan troop increase likely
• Militants hunted as calm retuns to Basra
• Pressure on Bush to skip Olympics
• BA sending misplaced T5 baggage to Milan

• Recruiting suicide bombers (2:50)
• London was lucky (2:36)
• Cars in London rigged as bombs (3:48)
• Second explosives-packed car foun (2:32)
• Soviet culture returns (3:47)