Netanyahu welcomes Lieberman back to government after acquittal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday congratulated his former foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman on his acquittal of corruption charges and welcomed him back to the ruling coalition. "I congratulate you on your unanimous acquittal and am happy about your returning to the government so that we can continue working together for the good of Israel," Netanyahu said in a statement. Lieberman is expected to swear-in as a foreign minister early next week. Earlier today, an Israeli court has found Lieberman not guilty of all charges of corruption. The Leader of the far-right Yisrael Beitenu Party and Netanyahu's senior coalition partner was forced to resign from his post as a foreign minister in December 2012 after official charges of fraud and breach of trust were raised against him by the state prosecutor. Lieberman was accused of rewarding a former Israeli diplomat with an embassy post in Latvia after he tipped him off about a police probe into his affairs.