Lieberman Resigns over Fraud

Local Editor

"Israeli" Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman announced Friday he is resigning a day after an indictment for fraud and breach of trust was filed against him by the entity's attorney general.

"Though I know I committed no crime... I have decided to resign my post as foreign minister and deputy prime minister," Lieberman said in an emailed statement released by his office on Friday, adding that he hoped to clear his name "without delay."
He further stated: "After 16 years of having various investigations held against me, I wish to end this matter without delay and clear my name completely."
Lieberman's decision could throw the "Israeli" political system into upheaval a month ahead of elections.

This comes as "Israel's" attorney general indicted Lieberman on Thursday for breach of trust, but decided not to file a number of more serious charges in a fraud and money-laundering case.
Lieberman, a native of Moldova, is head of Yisrael Beitenu, an ultranationalist party that is especially popular with fellow immigrants from the former Soviet Union. With a tough-talking message, he has become an influential voice in "Israeli" politics.

Meanwhile, Lieberman's departure could have negative consequences for "Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Lieberman is Yisrael Beitenu's founder and main attraction to voters. If he were forced to step aside, Netanyahu would be stuck with a list of leftovers with little appeal to the general public.
Prosecutors have long suspected that Lieberman illicitly received millions of dollars from businessmen and laundered the cash through straw companies in eastern Europe while he was a lawmaker and Cabinet minister.

In his decision Thursday, Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein said the case was not strong enough.
"I am convinced that there is no reasonable chance of a conviction in the offenses Lieberman is suspected of and that the case should be closed," Weinstein wrote.
Instead, Lieberman was charged with the lesser offense of receiving official material from the investigation against him from the former "Israeli" ambassador to Belarus, Zeev Ben-Aryeh, who reached a plea bargain in the case earlier this year.


Source: News Agencies, Edited by moqawama.org