Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman resigned on Friday after being charged with fraud and breach of trust, a move that could impact on January’s election which his party, merged with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud, was tipped to win, Reuters reports.
Israel’s Justice Ministry said on Thursday it would charge Lieberman over alleged irregularities tied to the promotion of an Israeli diplomat who had leaked him privileged information about a police probe into his activities.
“I have decided to resign my post as foreign minister and deputy prime minister and … also to remove my (parliamentary) immunity forthwith so I can end this matter quickly, without delay and clear my name absolutely,” Lieberman said in an emailed statement.
Lieberman said he hoped the case would be settled before the vote and that he would return to public office.
Lieberman’s right-wing party Yisrael Beiteinu (Our Home is Israel) and Netanyahu’s Likud group have formed an electoral pact ahead of the ballot and opinion polls had predicted they would win.
Lieberman is second on the party list after Netanyahu and before his indictment he was widely expected to retain a top cabinet position in the case of victory.
