Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman to resign

The Israeli foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, has said he is resigning after being charged with fraud and breach of trust, in a move that could have repercussions on the upcoming general election.

"Though I know I committed no crime ... I have decided to resign my post as foreign minister and deputy prime minister," Lieberman said in an emailed statement on Friday, adding that he hoped to clear his name "without delay".

Opinion polls have predicted that the rightwing party of Lieberman and the prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, would win the election on 22 January. It remains unclear if his resignation would hurt their chances.