Kadima MK Tzachi Hanegbi on Monday announced that he will not step down from his role as chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, hours after he was indicted for political appointment he made during his tenure as environment minister.

Many MKs have voiced their opinion that Hanegbi must resign or, at the very least, suspend himself from his position as head of the committee.

Hanegbi's attorney Yaakov Weinrot said he supported his client's decision to refuse resignation, adding that there was no connection between the charges of the indictment and Hanegbi's position on the committee.

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Hanegbi is being charged with fraud and breach of trust, election bribery, attempting to influence voters, false testimony and perjury.

"There is no stain, certainly not criminal, on my conduct as environment minister, conduct that was no different from that of dozens of ministers acting dozens of years before me," Hanegbi told Army Radio.

As first reported in Haaretz, Attorney General Menachem Mazuz made a final decision to indict Hanegbi despite the hearing held for his lawyers, Yaakov Weinroth and Gershon Gontovnik, six weeks ago.

"The claims Hanegbi raised at the hearing were scrupulously examined," the Justice Ministry said last month, "but ultimately it was decided to keep the decision to indict."

Mazuz also decided in principle to indict the director general of the ministry under Hanegbi, Shmuel Hershkovitz, but that decision is still pending a hearing next month at the Jerusalem Prosecutor's Office.