Snoshi
05-28-2008, 07:20 AM
Defense Minister Ehud Barak says he believes prime minister cannot run government, his personal affairs at the same time. In special press conference, he calls on Olmert to detatch himself from management of State as soon as possible
I believe Prime Minister Ehud Olmert cannot run the government and his personal affairs at the same time, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said in a special press conference Wednesday afternoon convened following US businessman Morris Talansky's pre-trial deposition Tuesday, in which he said he gave Olmert hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash.
"The prime minister must detach himself from the daily management of the government. He can do so in a variety of ways, which will not be determined by us," Barak said.
Asked what he would do if Olmert's ignores his stance, Barak replied that "the prime minister must act, and the Kadima party must make decisions."
The defense minister noted that "Olmert cannot deal with the challenges Israel faces, like Hamas, Hizbullah, Syria, Iran and the kidnapped soldiers, and run his personal affairs at the same time."
He added that "the Labor Party will not hold a stopwatch in Kadima's face, but things have to happen as soon as possible The State deserves stability, and therefore we must have a government in the Knesset. I am not afraid of elections. The public will decide and we will win."
The Labor chairman briefed his faction members on his remarks several minutes before the press conference. He told them that he would call on the prime minister to leave office.
Earlier Wednesday, Barak told Olmert that he cannot stay in office, as the two met for about an hour at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem.
The meeting was held following the recent developments in the police investigation launched against the prime minister and Olmert's fear that the Labor Party chairman would call on him to take leave of absence.
Wednesday's meeting was held following a National Security Cabinet discussion. As Barak prepared to return to the Knesset and prepare for his press conference, Olmert summed him to his office.
Ministers call on Kadima to 'take responsibility'
A large number of politicians have called on Barak to declare that the prime minister must leave office following Talansky's testimony.
Infrastructure Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said Wednesday morning that "Kadima must take responsibility and make difficult decisions. I am not ruling out an election campaign. The problem is of a person who I hope manages to prove his innocence and is acquitted. The problem is Kadima's and Olmert's."
Minister Ami Ayalon told Ynet that "the prime minister cannot stay in office." He said that Israel's citizens had the right to have a prime minister who is capable of governing.
"He should draw the necessary conclusions from Morris Talansky's deposition. If he fails to do this the Labor party will work towards pushing up the elections," Ayalon said.
Dramatic voices were also heard among members of the prime minister's party. Knesset Member Amira Dotan (Kadima) sent a letter to Olmert, calling on him to vacate his office in favor of "an alternative leadership which will advance the State's affairs."
MK Dotan wrote in the letter, "Mr. Talansky's testimony still echoes in my years and requires a public leadership statement. We must serve as an example for values and norms which are what gained us the public's trust."
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3548932,00.html
I believe Prime Minister Ehud Olmert cannot run the government and his personal affairs at the same time, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said in a special press conference Wednesday afternoon convened following US businessman Morris Talansky's pre-trial deposition Tuesday, in which he said he gave Olmert hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash.
"The prime minister must detach himself from the daily management of the government. He can do so in a variety of ways, which will not be determined by us," Barak said.
Asked what he would do if Olmert's ignores his stance, Barak replied that "the prime minister must act, and the Kadima party must make decisions."
The defense minister noted that "Olmert cannot deal with the challenges Israel faces, like Hamas, Hizbullah, Syria, Iran and the kidnapped soldiers, and run his personal affairs at the same time."
He added that "the Labor Party will not hold a stopwatch in Kadima's face, but things have to happen as soon as possible The State deserves stability, and therefore we must have a government in the Knesset. I am not afraid of elections. The public will decide and we will win."
The Labor chairman briefed his faction members on his remarks several minutes before the press conference. He told them that he would call on the prime minister to leave office.
Earlier Wednesday, Barak told Olmert that he cannot stay in office, as the two met for about an hour at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem.
The meeting was held following the recent developments in the police investigation launched against the prime minister and Olmert's fear that the Labor Party chairman would call on him to take leave of absence.
Wednesday's meeting was held following a National Security Cabinet discussion. As Barak prepared to return to the Knesset and prepare for his press conference, Olmert summed him to his office.
Ministers call on Kadima to 'take responsibility'
A large number of politicians have called on Barak to declare that the prime minister must leave office following Talansky's testimony.
Infrastructure Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said Wednesday morning that "Kadima must take responsibility and make difficult decisions. I am not ruling out an election campaign. The problem is of a person who I hope manages to prove his innocence and is acquitted. The problem is Kadima's and Olmert's."
Minister Ami Ayalon told Ynet that "the prime minister cannot stay in office." He said that Israel's citizens had the right to have a prime minister who is capable of governing.
"He should draw the necessary conclusions from Morris Talansky's deposition. If he fails to do this the Labor party will work towards pushing up the elections," Ayalon said.
Dramatic voices were also heard among members of the prime minister's party. Knesset Member Amira Dotan (Kadima) sent a letter to Olmert, calling on him to vacate his office in favor of "an alternative leadership which will advance the State's affairs."
MK Dotan wrote in the letter, "Mr. Talansky's testimony still echoes in my years and requires a public leadership statement. We must serve as an example for values and norms which are what gained us the public's trust."
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3548932,00.html