Israeli Minister Charged with Breach of Trust

Cleared of more serious charges of fraud and money laundering

Israel's powerful foreign minister was charged today with breach of trust, but escaped more serious charges in a fraud and money-laundering case that could jeopardize his political career and upend the Israeli political system just a month before parliamentary elections.

The decision by Israel's attorney general capped an investigation into Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman that stretched back more than a decade. Lieberman, a close ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, immediately came under heavy pressure to resign.