United Torah Judaism MK Ya’acov Litzman handed his resignation letter to Knesset Speaker Mickey Levy on Wednesday as part of the plea agreement he reached in the Malka Leifer case.
Litzman was indicted for breach of public trust in January after he cut a plea deal with Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit in which he will be convicted in the Leifer case.
Other charges against Litzman will be dropped, and he will pay a symbolic fine of a few thousand shekels.
“I conclude with great satisfaction many years of activity in the Knesset out of gratitude to the Creator, who gave me the privilege to serve the public with dedication and loyalty, and out of aspiration and duty to sanctify the name of God and safeguard the things that are holy for Israel,” he said.
Litzman, 73, first entered the Knesset in 1999 and was the leader of UTJ for many years. He served as minister and deputy minister of health, construction minister and head of the Knesset Finance Committee.
In an interview three months ago, Litzman said this would be his final term in the Knesset. Following his departure, the two oldest MKs in the Knesset are Bennie Begin, 79, and Benjamin Netanyahu, 72.
Litzman, who represented the Gerrer Hassidim, wished good luck to former MK Yaakov Tessler, who is a Vizhnitz hassid and will take his place in the Knesset. The Gerrer Rebbe will select a new UTJ representative for the next Knesset.