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Lieberman vows to quit if charged | Lieberman vows to quit if charged |
(3 days later) | |
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has said he will stand down if charged over corruption allegations. | Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has said he will stand down if charged over corruption allegations. |
On Sunday police recommended that he should face charges. The decision on whether to pursue the case now rests with the attorney general. | |
Mr Lieberman has consistently denied any wrong-doing and says the inquiry is politically motivated. | Mr Lieberman has consistently denied any wrong-doing and says the inquiry is politically motivated. |
The allegations against Mr Lieberman relate bribery, money-laundering and obstructing justice. | The allegations against Mr Lieberman relate bribery, money-laundering and obstructing justice. |
I am convinced that next year, and in two years too, I will still be foreign affairs minister Avigdor Lieberman Profile: Avigdor Lieberman | I am convinced that next year, and in two years too, I will still be foreign affairs minister Avigdor Lieberman Profile: Avigdor Lieberman |
"[If the attorney general] decides to indict me after hearing me out, I will step down as foreign minister and within the next four or five months I will quit as a member of parliament," Mr Lieberman said. | "[If the attorney general] decides to indict me after hearing me out, I will step down as foreign minister and within the next four or five months I will quit as a member of parliament," Mr Lieberman said. |
But he added: "I am convinced that next year, and in two years too, I will still be foreign affairs minister." | But he added: "I am convinced that next year, and in two years too, I will still be foreign affairs minister." |
The accusations are believed to relate to a company run by Mr Lieberman's daughter. | The accusations are believed to relate to a company run by Mr Lieberman's daughter. |
In April - days after being sworn in as foreign minister - Mr Lieberman faced more than seven hours of police questioning over the allegations against him. | In April - days after being sworn in as foreign minister - Mr Lieberman faced more than seven hours of police questioning over the allegations against him. |
Outspoken | Outspoken |
The appointment of the outspoken Mr Lieberman, 51, had already been seen as controversial. | The appointment of the outspoken Mr Lieberman, 51, had already been seen as controversial. |
He has previously said that Israel is not bound by a US-sponsored agreement from 2007 to reach a peace deal with the Palestinians, and that Israeli-Arab MPs who met Hamas should be executed like Nazi collaborators after the Nuremburg trials. | He has previously said that Israel is not bound by a US-sponsored agreement from 2007 to reach a peace deal with the Palestinians, and that Israeli-Arab MPs who met Hamas should be executed like Nazi collaborators after the Nuremburg trials. |
The Moldovan-born politician advocates swapping swathes of Israeli-Arab populated territory in Israel with Israeli settlement blocs in the West Bank. | The Moldovan-born politician advocates swapping swathes of Israeli-Arab populated territory in Israel with Israeli settlement blocs in the West Bank. |
Palestinian officials have described him as an "obstacle to peace". | Palestinian officials have described him as an "obstacle to peace". |
He leads Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel Our Home) - the second-largest party in the governing coalition and the third-largest in parliament. | He leads Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel Our Home) - the second-largest party in the governing coalition and the third-largest in parliament. |
The party draws much of its support from the one million Jews who went to Israel after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. | The party draws much of its support from the one million Jews who went to Israel after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. |
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