Embassy of Israel Was Dissatisfied About Arrest of Israeli Businessmen

Embassy of Israel expressed dissatisfaction to Georgian side about arrest of Israeli businessmen.

On the trial of Israeli businessmen on 11 January, ambassador of Israel to Georgia Itzhak Gerberg didn’t exclude the possibility that the trial of Israeli businessmen might hinder activity of Israeli investors in Georgia.

Itzhak Gerberg told journalists at the trial of Israeli businessmen at Tbilisi City Court that he cannot make any comments whether the trial can hamper business cooperation between Israel and Georgia since he only observes the court process.

The businessmen’s lawyers allege that Minister of Finance of Georgia Kakha Baindurashvili, Prime-Minister Nika Gilauri and Deputy Minister of Justice Tina Burjaliani provoked the crime.

Lawyer of the businessmen Archil Kbilashvili clarified that governmental officials planned to bring Israeli businessmen to Georgia and detain them. International arbitrary court imposed more than 98 million dollars on government of Georgia for benefit of the Israeli businessmen. Government of Georgia didn’t want to pay the money.

To make the businessmen believe that they really dealt with the government of Georgia, Prime-Minsiter Nika Gilauri presented Avtandil Kharaidze in august 2010 as Deputy Minister of Finance and informed that he was negotiating regarding the dispute of businessmen.

To make his allegation more convincing, Nika Gilauri wrote letter to the businessmen on 12 October expressing his satisfaction on successful negotiations between them and representative of Ministry of Finance Kharaidze. In the letter Nika Gilauri invited the businessmen to Georgia and promised them to sign the agreement on the end of the arbitration, but in fact the businessmen were arrested after their arrival in Georgia.

Embassy of Israel to Georgia has not been working for a week. Israeli media released information about closing down of embassies. The Lebanese group warned about their revenge against Israel on the third anniversary of Hezbollah commander Imad Mughniyeh's death. Embassies of Israel were shut down in Georgia, Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Israeli Anti-Terrorism Bureau added Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey on the list of dangerous countries.

Interpresnews