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Olmert given ultimatum
28/05/2008 14:42 - (SA)
Jerusalem - In a dramatic announcement on Wednesday, the leader of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's largest coalition partner called on the premier to turn the reins of government over to another member of his Kadima party, or else face early elections.
The announcement by Defence Minister and Labour Party leader Ehud Barak comes a day after a key witness in a corruption investigation surrounding Olmert testified how he handed the premier $150 000 in cash over a 15-year period.
"In the wake of the current situation and considering the challenges Israel faces, including Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria, Iran, the captive soldiers and the peace process, the prime minister cannot simultaneously lead the government and conduct his personal affairs," Barak told a brief news conference at the Knesset early on Wednesday afternoon.
He said Olmert could remove himself either by resigning form office, or by temporarily suspending himself, and called on the Kadima party to elect a replacement for its leader.
'This has to happen soon'
He said that while he was not standing by with a stop watch, "this has to happen soon, and I mean soon".
The alternative, he went on, was that Labour would work toward holding early elections,
Barak, who in the past faced an investigation into the funding of his victorious 1999 prime ministerial campaign, said Olmert's leaving office would be an "accepted norm" of behaviour.
Prior to Barak's announcement Olmert advisor Tal Zilberstein said the premier would not be resigning, since this would be an admission of guilt.
"Olmert has made a firm decision to continue serving as prime minister, I say this on the basis of a conversation I had with him a short time ago," he told Israel Army Radio. - Sapa-dpa
- SAPA
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