As calls for his resignation mount, Olmert remains defiant
Folks, I don't know how long Ehud Olmert can hang on. I heard the interview Hugh had today with Yoni Tidi where Yoni said he expected Israel to be embroiled in another fight within the coming months. (Consequently, if anyone would like to contribute to his possible run for the Knesset, please follow the aforementioned link,a nd drop him a line.) But today, Arutz Sheva says Olmert has a different take on the rally held yesterday:
The Labor party is rethinking its position in the government coalition after more than 150,000 protestors gathered Thursday night in Tel Aviv to demand the Prime Minister’s ouster.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is facing a growing grassroots movement, which has brought political figures together with concerned citizens in their drive to force him to resign.
The Prime Minister was held responsible by the recently published interim report of the Winograd Committee for the mismanagement of the Second Lebanon War last summer, together with Defense Minister Amir Peretz and former IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz.
Despite increasing calls for his resignation, including from within his Kadima party, PM Olmert has not budged from his intention to continue to run the country, regardless of how unpopular he might be.
Reacting to thousands of citizens who poured into Tel Aviv to tell him to “Go Home” and hold “Elections Now” the beleaguered Prime Minister said he respected the demonstrators for expressing their views in a “legitimate and democratic way” but would not step down.
“It is not right from my standpoint to resign,” he said. “My reasoning is that the Winograd Commission report was issued in order that mistakes will be corrected quickly.” PM Olmert’s resignation may be forced upon him from a completely different direction, however.
The day after the publication of the report, Labor Minister-Without-Portfolio Eitan Cabel announced his resignation and urged others to do the same. Although no one joined him, Labor Knesset Member Ofir Pines-Paz, who resigned earlier to protest Yisrael Beiteinu’s entry to the government, demanded that his party, the second largest in the coalition, abandon the government.
Now the Labor Party’s central committee plans to convene on May 13th to discuss whether or not to quit the Olmert coalition, or possibly to remain if the government were to be led by another Kadima party member.
“There is no reason not to cooperate with another candidate from Kadima,” said MK Pines-Paz. “We won’t interfere with Kadima’s decision, as long as it offers a worthy alternative to Olmert."
The Winograd report isn't kind to him or anyone else in his administration. it's pretty harsh, and after reading the interim report, I can see why Israelis are ticked about his actions (or is it inacttion) in last years conflict with Hezbollah. The report hoolds him responsible for not preparing civilians for the assured rocket attacks, for not listening to his military leaders telling him the military wasn't ready, and for a failure to truly fight the war to win it.
I said yesterday that the dog days of summer are about to haunt Olmert. Now it seems like his own party will be fanning the hot winds that will sweep across his nation. Olmert should do the right thing and resign to force new elections.
Publius II
The Labor party is rethinking its position in the government coalition after more than 150,000 protestors gathered Thursday night in Tel Aviv to demand the Prime Minister’s ouster.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is facing a growing grassroots movement, which has brought political figures together with concerned citizens in their drive to force him to resign.
The Prime Minister was held responsible by the recently published interim report of the Winograd Committee for the mismanagement of the Second Lebanon War last summer, together with Defense Minister Amir Peretz and former IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz.
Despite increasing calls for his resignation, including from within his Kadima party, PM Olmert has not budged from his intention to continue to run the country, regardless of how unpopular he might be.
Reacting to thousands of citizens who poured into Tel Aviv to tell him to “Go Home” and hold “Elections Now” the beleaguered Prime Minister said he respected the demonstrators for expressing their views in a “legitimate and democratic way” but would not step down.
“It is not right from my standpoint to resign,” he said. “My reasoning is that the Winograd Commission report was issued in order that mistakes will be corrected quickly.” PM Olmert’s resignation may be forced upon him from a completely different direction, however.
The day after the publication of the report, Labor Minister-Without-Portfolio Eitan Cabel announced his resignation and urged others to do the same. Although no one joined him, Labor Knesset Member Ofir Pines-Paz, who resigned earlier to protest Yisrael Beiteinu’s entry to the government, demanded that his party, the second largest in the coalition, abandon the government.
Now the Labor Party’s central committee plans to convene on May 13th to discuss whether or not to quit the Olmert coalition, or possibly to remain if the government were to be led by another Kadima party member.
“There is no reason not to cooperate with another candidate from Kadima,” said MK Pines-Paz. “We won’t interfere with Kadima’s decision, as long as it offers a worthy alternative to Olmert."
The Winograd report isn't kind to him or anyone else in his administration. it's pretty harsh, and after reading the interim report, I can see why Israelis are ticked about his actions (or is it inacttion) in last years conflict with Hezbollah. The report hoolds him responsible for not preparing civilians for the assured rocket attacks, for not listening to his military leaders telling him the military wasn't ready, and for a failure to truly fight the war to win it.
I said yesterday that the dog days of summer are about to haunt Olmert. Now it seems like his own party will be fanning the hot winds that will sweep across his nation. Olmert should do the right thing and resign to force new elections.
Publius II
posted by Syd And Vaughn | 12:02 AM
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