Israeli PM still holds on despite opposition

Source: Xinhuanet | 05-03-2007 09:29

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni (L) and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (R) attend a cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, 02 May 2007. Livni has called on Olmert to resign over a damning Lebanon war report, upping the pressure on the beleaguered premier to step down. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

JERUSALEM, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Despite increasing demands from within and outside of the ruling Kadima faction calling on Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to resign, he still holds on under grave pressure and seemingly garners the support of majority in Kadima, local media reported late Wednesday.

"The party was united and this has been a big day for the party and for Olmert," Vice Premier Shimon Peres said at the end of a Kadima faction meeting.

At the emergency Kadima faction meeting Wednesday evening, Olmert signaled he intended to soldier on.

"I intend to implement the recommendations of the (war) report down to the last detail," spokesman Jacob Galanti quoted him assaying, a Ha'aretz report said.

"I am in a personally uncomfortable position, but I will not shirk my responsibility and will fix all the mistakes," Olmert was quoted as telling to Kadima lawmakers at the closed-door meeting.

"I am sure I will continue to lead the country," he added.

Peres said on Wednesday that an overwhelming majority of Kadima lawmakers want Olmert to stay despite increasing calls on him to resign.

It was reported by local Channel 2 TV that, after the meeting,26 out of the 29 Kadima lawmakers expressed their support for Olmert, while only three called for his resignation.

The three were Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, former coalition chairman Avigdor Yitzhaki, and Knesset (parliament) member Marina Solodkin.

The most recent blow that Olmert took was from Livni, who said Wednesday afternoon that she told Olmert resignation is the right thing to do, in light of the harsh criticism in the Winograd Committee's interim report.

"I told the prime minister in private talks that resignation would be the right thing," Livni said at a press conference held in Jerusalem after she held an hour-long meeting with Olmert. "The public has lost faith in the government," she said, "Wemust restore it immediately."

However, Livni announced that she would not resign herself, saying that the ruling Kadima party should hold primary elections to elect a new leader to replace Olmert. She declared that she intended to run for Kadima leadership.

Associates of Olmert criticized Livni's statement, saying that "this was an attempt at mutiny that did not succeed. Kadima is with the prime minister and everything will be OK."

Olmert's associates believed that he will have to dismiss Livni after she told him he should go home.

It was reported that Olmert is considering replacing Livni with Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz as foreign minister. Sources from the prime minister's office confirmed to Yedioth Ahronoth that "several options are being looked into."

Meanwhile, in response to Olmert's indifference to the call for his resignation, coalition chairman Avigdor Yitzhaki Wednesday evening resigned from his position.

In the morning, Yitzhaki publicly called on Olmert to resign over the finding of the Winograd Committee on the shortcomings in the Second Lebanon War, adding that he planned to resign if the prime minister does not step down.

The coalition chairman will be replaced by Knesset member Tzachi Hanegbi, head of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and Olmert's close ally.

There is another one facing calls to resign as well, Defense Minister Amir Peretz.

According to an earlier Israel Radio report, Peretz is considering submitting his resignation before Thursday's Tel Aviv massive demonstration.

However, after a full day of deliberations and contemplation, the Labor Party chairman decided to remain in the defense ministry.

On Monday, an interim report released by the Israeli government-appointed committee, led by retired judge Eliyahu Winograd, accused Olmert, Peretz and former Chief of Staff Dan Halutz of failing in their roles in last summer's Israel-Hezbollah conflict, which Israel called the Second Lebanon War.

The 34-day conflict between Israel and Hezbollah erupted on July 12, 2006, when Hezbollah guerrillas kidnapped two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border attack. Some 158 Israelis and 1,200Lebanese were killed during the confrontation.

Editor:Du Xiaodan