Avigdor Lieberman resigns as indicted for fraud and breach of trust
(ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, DECEMBER 14 - Israel's foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman has resigned, according to media reports. In a brief statement, the minister - who was charged with fraud and breach of trust yesterday - said that he had made the decision but had not been obliged to do so.Lieberman said in a statement that ''today I have met with my lawyers and the members of the electoral campaign. Considering the nature of the charges and the circumstances of the case - despite the fact that, from a legal standpoint, I am not obliged to do so - I have decided to resign from my position.''
He went on to say that ''I know that I have done nothing wrong, but out of a desire to leave all of this behind me, I have decided to offer my resignation as Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister and, as I said yesterday, I have given up my parliamentary immunity.'' Lieberman (who is the head of the Israel Beitenu party, the largest ally of Netanyahu's Likud) then added that ''after 16 years of being subject to various inquiries, I have decided to put an end to this story without further delay and clear my name entirely.'' (ANSAmed).
