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Breaking: Avigdor Lieberman to Resign

Following indictment, Israeli FM to quit, but will return for elections

by
Adam Chandler
December 14, 2012
(Haaretz)
(Haaretz)

Less than a day after being indicted on the charges of breaching the public trust and fraud, small charges given the severity of wrongdoings alleged during a sixteen-year-long investigation, Israeli Foreign Minister and Yisrael Beiteinu Chair Avigdor Lieberman will reportedly quit the government.

“Though I know I did nothing wrong, after years of legal proceedings, investigations and wiretaps I want to resign so I can put this whole affair behind me,” Lieberman said.

This is hardly the end of the line. Lieberman will remain number two on the Likud/Yisrael Beiteinu super-list formed this past fall with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and hinted in his statement that he will participate in the January 22 elections.

“I believe the citizens of Israel have the right to go to the ballots after this whole issue is put to rest, meaning after the matter is settled in court, and I can continue to serve the public and the state as part of a strong and united leadership that will meet the security, economic and diplomatic challenges facing the country.”

In other words, if you decide to hibernate for the next month, when you wake up Lieberman will probably still be there as if nothing happening. It seems likely he’ll settle his case with a plea deal by then and will go back to flipping the bird to Europe and Mahmoud Abbas (just not as foreign minister).

Adam Chandler was previously a staff writer at Tablet. His work has appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Atlantic, Slate, Esquire, New York, and elsewhere. He tweets @allmychandler.