Israel could face early elections

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Thursday made a long-awaited statement on the corruption charges facing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, daily Haaretz said. She called on Olmert's Kadima to prepare for elections and declared her support for party primaries. Israel could face early elections "Kadima needs to start preparing for every eventuality, including elections," she said in a meeting with journalists in Jerusalem. Referring to Defense Minister Ehud Barak's call on Wednesday for Olmert to step aside, which he made after Jewish American businessman Morris Talansky testified on the hundreds of thousands of dollars he is suspected of transferring the prime minister, Livni said that "the reality changed after yesterday. Kadima needs to make decisions on what it will do. It is impossible to ignore the events of the last few days." On claims that Olmert's actions may have been questionable but not illegal, the foreign minister said, "The issue isn't only legal, and the test on what is criminal and what isn't is not only the personal business of the prime minister. It is related to the values and norms and their influence on the trust of the public. It infuriates me, the attempt to claim that it is a matter of norms that everyone who enters politics needs to adopt. It's not true and not acceptable to me, and I am coming out against the attempt to impose improper norms on politics." Livni, who is considered a front-runner to head Kadima should Olmert step down, also called for party primaries. "I am a big believer in primaries, and believe that we need to involve the public in choosing its leadership, thereby bringing back trust in Kadima," she said. Olmert this week had asked his fellow Kadima factions members to let him prove his innocence. Israeli Defense Minister Barak said on Thursday, following Livni's comments, that he surmised elections could be held this year. He again urged Olmert to step down, saying: "The prime minister must make decisions, and if he doesn't make them, we'll do it for him." Earlier Thursday, Barak told his Labor Party ministers that early elections appear inevitable in light of the corruption probe against Olmert. Barak told the ministers that "for the sake of political stability, an alternate government must be established, and headed by one of the members of Kadima, but it is very likely that there will be elections sometime during the coming year." On Wednesday, Barak convened a press conference during which he publicly called on Olmert to step down from his post, saying that the investigation against him effectively incapacitates him from giving his full attention to day to day government operations. During Thursday's meeting, which revolved around the previous day's press conference and its implications on Olmert's coalition, the Labor ministers voiced their support of Barak's call. Labor Faction Secretary General Eitan Cabel described the meeting in an interview with Army Radio, saying that "Barak received wall to wall support from all the party ministers. As far as we are concerned, yesterday's message was clear." On Wednesday, however, politicians from across the spectrum were quick to criticize Barak's speech calling on Olmert to leave his post. Barak did have some support from within his own party, as MK Collette Avital (Labor) described his words as "sharp and clear." Avital said it was up to Kadima to choose its path as soon as possible. Two Kadima MKs, Amira Dotan and Zeev Elkin, joined the calls for Olmert's resignation. Dotan wrote Olmert a letter saying there is crisis of faith in him, and he should find a way to allow Kadima to choose new leadership. Barak, center, seen at the Knesset (Beta)

Israel could face early elections

"Kadima needs to start preparing for every eventuality, including elections," she said in a meeting with journalists in Jerusalem.

Referring to Defense Minister Ehud Barak's call on Wednesday for Olmert to step aside, which he made after Jewish American businessman Morris Talansky testified on the hundreds of thousands of dollars he is suspected of transferring the prime minister, Livni said that "the reality changed after yesterday. Kadima needs to make decisions on what it will do. It is impossible to ignore the events of the last few days."

On claims that Olmert's actions may have been questionable but not illegal, the foreign minister said, "The issue isn't only legal, and the test on what is criminal and what isn't is not only the personal business of the prime minister. It is related to the values and norms and their influence on the trust of the public. It infuriates me, the attempt to claim that it is a matter of norms that everyone who enters politics needs to adopt. It's not true and not acceptable to me, and I am coming out against the attempt to impose improper norms on politics."

Livni, who is considered a front-runner to head Kadima should Olmert step down, also called for party primaries. "I am a big believer in primaries, and believe that we need to involve the public in choosing its leadership, thereby bringing back trust in Kadima," she said.

Olmert this week had asked his fellow Kadima factions members to let him prove his innocence.

Israeli Defense Minister Barak said on Thursday, following Livni's comments, that he surmised elections could be held this year. He again urged Olmert to step down, saying: "The prime minister must make decisions, and if he doesn't make them, we'll do it for him."

Earlier Thursday, Barak told his Labor Party ministers that early elections appear inevitable in light of the corruption probe against Olmert.

Barak told the ministers that "for the sake of political stability, an alternate government must be established, and headed by one of the members of Kadima, but it is very likely that there will be elections sometime during the coming year."

On Wednesday, Barak convened a press conference during which he publicly called on Olmert to step down from his post, saying that the investigation against him effectively incapacitates him from giving his full attention to day to day government operations.

During Thursday's meeting, which revolved around the previous day's press conference and its implications on Olmert's coalition, the Labor ministers voiced their support of Barak's call. Labor Faction Secretary General Eitan Cabel described the meeting in an interview with Army Radio, saying that "Barak received wall to wall support from all the party ministers. As far as we are concerned, yesterday's message was clear."

On Wednesday, however, politicians from across the spectrum were quick to criticize Barak's speech calling on Olmert to leave his post.

Barak did have some support from within his own party, as MK Collette Avital (Labor) described his words as "sharp and clear." Avital said it was up to Kadima to choose its path as soon as possible.

Two Kadima MKs, Amira Dotan and Zeev Elkin, joined the calls for Olmert's resignation. Dotan wrote Olmert a letter saying there is crisis of faith in him, and he should find a way to allow Kadima to choose new leadership.