Israeli Attorney General to indict Lieberman

Israel’s Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein will formally indict outgoing Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman for fraud and breach of public trust in Belarus Ambassador Affair on Tuesday at the state’s financial crimes unit in the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court, according reports. Despite a meeting between Weinstein and Lieberman’s lawyer, the Attorney General intends to indict the Yisrael Beytenu party leader to avoid a plea bargain deal with prosecutors and block his return to Israeli parliament the Knesset, according to Yedioth Ahronoth daily report today. The indictment was to be formally filed following the lapse of Lieberman’s parliamentary immunity, but has been delayed. His resignation as foreign minister took effect at 10 am today and was confirmed by the Ministry of Justice. The investigation involving Liberman and former Belarusian ambassador Ze’ev Ben-Aryeh will hear about Foreign Ministry appointments panel that were never questioned. One report said, Liberman actively pushed for Ben-Aryeh’s promotion in the ministry. There are chances of a plea bargain in the middle of the trial, however, it would be rare in such a case where there have been extensive contacts between Liberman’s counsel and the state attorney’s office for years. Jerusalem Post said, a plea bargain would help Liberman avoid a conviction of “moral turpitude”, which would bar him from holding public office for seven years. Government Services Minister Michael Eitan (Likud) wrote Weinstein a letter on Monday urging him not to deem Liberman’s indictment as lacking moral turpitude, warning that such a step would shame the entire country, the report added.