Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has said he need not resign after the Justice Ministry decided to indict him for fraud and breach of trust, less severe charges than were originally considered.
"According to the legal opinion given to me, I do not have to resign," Mr Lieberman said during a speech, rousing supporters to applaud.
"A final decision will be made after consultation with my lawyers and in the consideration of not hurting the voting public."
He denied all wrongdoing and called for speedy legal proceedings.
Mr Lieberman's lawyers, citing legal precedents, had said in a statement they did not believe the courts would force him to resign.
Opposition parties called for him to step down.
Investigations into Mr Lieberman, 54, were first opened in 2001 and spanned nine countries.
The more serious allegations included money-laundering and bribery, but the Attorney-General said there was no chance of a conviction on those.
The indictment focuses on Mr Lieberman's efforts to promote an Israeli diplomat who had leaked him privileged information about a police probe pertaining to Mr Lieberman.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the decision not to press more serious charges and said in a statement he hoped Mr Lieberman would "also prove his innocence in the single remaining issue".
A draft of the indictment passed on to parliament said Lieberman had acted in "a serious conflict of interest between his duties to the public as foreign minister ... and his personal feeling of commitment to [the diplomat] who had acted on his behalf in passing him secret information".
Shuki Lamberger, a senior state prosecutor, said it could take up to a month for the indictment to be officially served because of parliamentary immunity, which Mr Lieberman said he would waive.
