Prosecutors allege the politician intervened to promote Zeev Ben Aryeh, the former ambassador to Belarus, to a post in Latvia.

BBC: Israel ex-foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman on trial

He was, rather, an ideologue, a disciple of Zeev Jabotinsky, the hardline Zionist who wanted to see a Jewish state along both banks of the Jordan river.

BBC: Jerusalem Diary: 20 April

"The State of Israel has for years been dealing with boycotts from Arab nations, but now we are talking about a homegrown boycott, " said the author of the legislation, lawmaker, Zeev Elvin, the Associated Press news agency reported.

BBC: Israeli lawmakers pass West Bank settlement boycott law

On Sunday, a spokesman for Israeli Housing Minister Zeev Boim told CNN that his office will take steps this week that could lead to the construction of 121 houses in Har Homa and 763 houses in Pisgat Zeev.

CNN: Israel under fire over settlement plans