Israeli PM Olmert Resigns

[kobimel]

JERUSALEM — Ehud Olmert officially resigned as prime minister of Israel on Sunday, but the woman who hopes to replace him, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, faces formidable obstacles in preserving the governing coalition. Labor, her main governing partner, is weighing a move to early elections.

Mr. Olmert, mired in corruption investigations, stepped down by handing a letter to President Shimon Peres. Under Israeli law, Mr. Olmert automatically became the head of an interim government until a new prime minister is sworn in.

Mr. Olmert’s party, Kadima, narrowly elected Ms. Livni on Wednesday as its new head. Kadima has expected her to become prime minister by forming a new government from the existing components, the largest of which, after Kadima, is Labor. But Ehud Barak, the defense minister and head of Labor, has numerous reservations about the plan.

Labor’s support is essential for Ms. Livni to move into the prime minister’s office. The other large party, the opposition Likud, disagrees fundamentally with the government’s approach to negotiating peace with the Palestinian Authority and with Syria. It has repeatedly said it has no interest in joining the government.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/world/middleeast/22olmert.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Good riddance.

 

[Denny Crane]

This was in the works for quite a while and expected, right?

 

[kobimel]

This was in the works for quite a while and expected, right?

Yes. Olmert said he would resign after the elections in Kadima. Livni won, and if she manages to build up a coalition she'll replace Olmert until the next elections.

 

[Denny Crane]

I saw on the news that if she doesn't get the coalition formed, the next election would be moved up.

 

[kobimel]

I saw on the news that if she doesn't get the coalition formed, the next election would be moved up.

I believe that's correct. Too bad there are no decent candidates. Livni is too inexperienced as well.

 

[AEM]

Where's Ya'alon when you need him?

 

[CelticKing]

I liked Olmert.


Now lets hope that chick that is running wins.

 

[AEM]

Oy...