JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said he has no cause for concern following an announcement that he would be indicted on graft charges.
"I know and you know that I always acted in accordance with the law, and there is no reason for worry," Lieberman said Wednesday. "After 15 years, I finally will have an opportunity to prove that I acted lawfully."
Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein said the State Prosecutor’s Office would press charges against Lieberman for fraud, money laundering, breach of trust and witness tampering. The announcement came just as Lieberman was about to deliver an address at a Yisrael Beiteinu party convention.
Lieberman can request a hearing to try to prevent the actual indictment. If he rejects the hearing in order to avoid exposing his defense strategy, the indictment will be served.
Lieberman has said in the past that if he is indicted, he will resign as foreign minister.
The charges come from several incidents. Lieberman allegedly operated six to 10 shell companies during his tenure in the National Infrastructure, Transportation and Strategies Affairs ministries, through which he is said to have laundered bribe money.
