Several days after a media uproar arose in Israel over an allegedly false claim by Yamina MK Idit Silman that she was physically assaulted at a gas station, the police have opened an investigation into the alleged incident.

Silman, who serves as the coalition chairman, spoke about the incident in an interview on Motzei Shabbos and many doubts about her claim arose almost immediately, exacerbated by the fact that she refused to provide details about the incident, such as the name of the gas station and the date of the incident, and she changed her version of the incident after doubts arose. She also had failed to file a complaint to the Knesset Guard or the police. Following the media uproar, she filed a complaint to the Knesset Guard (2 weeks after the alleged incident) and the material has been transferred to the police.

A witness to the incident completely denied Silman’s account, 0404 News reported. According to the report, a truck driver who was at the gas station in question witnessed the encounter between the “attacker” and Silman, and said that he never even got close to her, much less assaulted her.

“A man drove up in a Hyundai to fill up while Silman was there,” he said. “The guy told her – from a distance of three-four meters away – ‘You sold the State.'”

Silman screamed back at him: ‘I’ll file a complaint against you.’ But the guy never got close to her, he didn’t threaten her and he definitely didn’t assault her.”

The witness said that he had totally forgotten about the incident until the story hit social media this week. “I don’t have any connection to the incident,” he said. “I was at the gas station, I bought a cup of coffee and then I saw the encounter.”

The witness was summoned to the Knesset Guard on Tuesday to testify.

This isn’t the first time that Silman has apparently embellished the truth. When Yamina was in negotiations to form the current coalition and there were widespread protests by the party’s former supporters for joining forces with left-wing parties, Silman claimed that she was secretly being followed by a car while driving.

The police raided the homes of the people Silman claimed were following her but they turned out to be Dati yeshiva students who had publicly protested against Silman not to join the government but no evidence was ever found that they secretly followed Silman. As of now – six months after the claimed incident – no indictment had been filed against them.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)