Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu also will be the Foreign Minister after Avigdor Lieberman’s resignation takes effect, and Deputy Minister Danny Ayalon will be re-appointed.

The resignation of  Lieberman, who was indicted last week on once charge of breach of trust, will take effect in 48 hours.

By law, Ayalon also must leave his post, but the Prime Minister will re-appoint him, according to government sources.

Netanyahu’s dual role likely will end after the January 22 elections, after which he will almost certainly appoint a new Foreign Minister. Lieberman conceivably, but not likely, could return to office if there is a quick trial and he is acquitted or if he reaches a plea-bargain deal that would allow him to serve as minister.

Ayalon has been dropped from the Israel Beytenu list and will not be in the next Knesset.                

Until then, Lieberman’s resignation comes at a fortunate time for the Prime Minister. Lieberman’s undiplomatic style of “telling it like it is” has on the one hand made it clear to other countries where Israel stands but on the other hands has rankled foreign leaders to the point that Israel faces a threat of European isolation.

The government reacted to the United Nations’ recognition of the Palestinian Authority as a non-member observer state by announcing that 3,000 more homes will be built for Jews in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria.

Lieberman’s resignation also means he will be dropped from the important non-member “Inner Cabinet,” which discusses and decides security matters.

Prime Minister Netanyahu is likely to win some votes from would-be Likud supporters who are wary of Lieberman’s hard-line nationalist policies. Lieberman’s Israel Beyteinu party, which has merged with the Likud, may lose votes to a newly-formed party of Russian immigrants, which has a fair chance of winning enough votes to enter the next Knesset.