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Prime Minister Ehud Olmert speaking at the Knesset on Monday. (Daniel Bar-On / Jini)
Last update - 14:03 29/05/2008
Olmert to Kadima: Give me time to prove my innocence
By Mazal Mualem and Yossi Verter, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Ehud Olmert, Morris Talansky 

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert began another battle within his Kadima party Wednesday, after the Labor Party chair called for him to be replaced by another Kadima member.

Reportedly sounding tense and belligerent during personal conversations with all the Kadima ministers and most of the MKs, Olmert said he did not intend to resign or declare himself incapacitated, despite Ehud Barak's demand in a press conference Wednesday. Olmert asked his fellow Kadima faction members to let him prove his innocence.

"I have been done an injustice, and it is illogical that a prime minister should be brought down because of something like this," Olmert said to some of the lawmakers.
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"Some people think that every investigation requires a resignation. I do not agree, and I do not intend to resign," Olmert said Wednesday, during a meeting with mayors from the Gaza Strip area, in his office.

He also asserted that U.S. financier Morris (Moshe) Talansky's testimony will be refuted in the same way that allegations against him were in the Bank Leumi affair, which centered on suspicions Olmert interfered in the bank's privatization.

"I will prove to you that these things never were and never existed," said the prime minister.

Olmert is also working to block efforts by some Kadima ministers and MKs, who are seeking to set a date for a party primary.

One of Olmert's supporters, a senior party official, said, "He won't get out of it. Now we have to agree among ourselves on the rules of the game; how the primary is to be carried out."

Associates of the prime minister slammed Barak Wednesday. One supporter called the defense minister's move "a cynical and undermining move to satisfy his party's MKs."

Olmert and his associates are said to believe that if they can keep a lid on the foment in Kadima, the prime minister can stabilize affairs, and arrive at the cross-examination of Talansky with his premiership intact in mid-July. Talansky is the main witness against Olmert in the latest corruption affair.

Barak, however, said Thursday that early elections "appear inevitable" and predicted that the government would collapse within the coming year.

The prime minister spoke with Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz several times Wednesday. Mofaz has become closer to Olmert recently; Olmert believes this alliance is the key to his remaining leader of Kadima.

Cabinet secretary Oved Yehezkel, along with other associates of the prime minister, worked to counter Talansky's testimony Wednesday. Contrary to Talansky's statement, Olmert had not taken a family vacation in Italy, they said, among other arguments.

Olmert's people also begged ministers and MKs to speak to the press. Several declined to do so. However, Finance Minister Roni Bar-On supported Olmert on Channel 2 Wednesday, saying that Olmert could continue leading the country, especially after he pledged to resign if indicted.

Sources said Barak would like to see Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni replace Olmert within the current Knesset, and coordinated his moves with Livni via consultant Reuven Adler.

Barak denied coordinating his move with anyone. "I respect other people from other parties, as well as their decisions in the areas in which they have to make decisions," Barak said at his press conference in the Knesset.

"The country needs stability at this time. Therefore it is appropriate to give this Knesset a chance to establish another government. I am not afraid of elections. In elections the public will decide, and I believe we will win," Barak said.

In addition to calling on Olmert to step down or step aside, he said if Kadima did not do so, he would work to reach an agreement on a date for early elections. He did not set a time limit, but his associates said he would end the processes within a few weeks.

Barak said that with all the challenges facing the country, "I do not believe the prime minister can simultaneously handly the government and his personal issues."

Barak said he hoped for Olmert's sake that the allegations against him would prove baseless, "but for the good of the country, and its norms, he should leave his post soon."



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      1.   olmert must stay 04:18  |  issam 29/05/08
      2.   This is not about you Olmert, this is about Israel 04:41  |  Simon 29/05/08
      3.   That`s What They All Say... 04:45  |  Jeff Northridge 29/05/08
      4.   Olmert can prove his innocence the Puritan way 04:53  |  * BEN JABO 29/05/08
      5.   Take a hike 04:54  |  sick of him 29/05/08
      6.   Olmert resign 05:19  |  Joseph 29/05/08
      7.   wow.... 05:40  |  rm 29/05/08
      8.   OLMERT MUST STEP ASIDE 06:08  |  Josh 29/05/08
      9.   What`s the problem...? 07:07  |  Esther 29/05/08
      10.   Will Someone Please Show This Schmuck The Door Already 08:16  |  Shepherd 29/05/08
      11.   The tyrants of old 08:23  |  Dror 29/05/08
      12.   Shades of Iniquity begin to appear..... 08:39  |  Dagma 29/05/08
      13.   Will Olmert wriggle out of this one? 08:55  |  Mike 29/05/08
      14.   Give me time to prove my innocence or should it be give me time t 09:03  |  David 29/05/08
      15.   Dont worry olmert you will get time...in prison 09:28  |  Jake 29/05/08
      16.   100 years wouldn`t be long enough ... 10:09  |  Chanalau, Tova 29/05/08
      17.   Pathetic, pathetic, pathetic 10:10  |  Dror 29/05/08
      18.   Demoralizing the nation 10:13  |  Dror 29/05/08
      19.   to dror #5 10:15  |  leila perez 29/05/08
      20.   Investigate the investigation - smells fishy 10:26  |  Ivar 29/05/08
      21.   Chanalau? Tova? 10:36  |  Dror 29/05/08
      22.   Everybody knows that (almost) everybody does it in Israel..... 10:43  |  Swiss (Dino) 29/05/08
      23.   OLMERT IS BEING CURSED BY THOSE SOULS 10:44  |  indrajaya 29/05/08
      24.   Don`t let him leave 10:46  |  David 29/05/08
      25.   Olmert, you want time? No problem 10:49  |  Tzfonit 29/05/08
      26.   there is not enough time before the end of the world !! 11:09  |  victor hardman 29/05/08
      27.   leave him alone 11:30  |  napthali 29/05/08
      28.   Let`s face it, this has very little to do with "corruption"...... 11:30  |  Swiss (Dino) 29/05/08
      29.   Olmert is a disgrace to Israel!! 11:48  |  Dr Eric 29/05/08
      30.   Prime ministerial position is NO PLACE to Prove ones innocence!!! 11:57  |  Ben Uziel 29/05/08
      31.   Olmert 12:25  |  Naim S. Mahlab 29/05/08
      32.   15# 12:26  |  Keops 29/05/08
      33.   Enough with the "Kangaroo Court".! 12:26  |  Stephen. 29/05/08
      34.   Re #28-you seem a little confused 12:32  |  Matthew 29/05/08
      35.   Having fun but with right person 12:39  |  Keops 29/05/08
      36.   please get rid of this crook 12:41  |  joki 29/05/08
      37.   "Give me TIME"......... says Olmert..... 12:48  |  Dolly 29/05/08
      38.   #28 Swiss (Dino) 12:51  |  Sarah 29/05/08
      39.   #16 Chanalau,Tova 12:55  |  Sarah 29/05/08
      40.   E. O. GO HOME 13:02  |  Inyaki 29/05/08
      41.   Re Swiss #28... it`s a sad dilemma... 13:21  |  Esther 29/05/08
      42.   # 34 Matthew "Confused ???" 13:41  |  Swiss (Dino) 29/05/08
      43.   # 28, SWISS (DINO) 13:44  |  indrajaya 29/05/08
      44.   # 38 Sarah "fascist ???" 13:48  |  Swiss (Dino) 29/05/08
      45.   Olmert asking time from Kadima??? Not from the people??? 13:52  |  S 29/05/08
      46.   #44 Swiss(Dino) 14:15  |  Sarah 29/05/08
      47.   I am not a crook! 14:20  |  W 29/05/08
      48.   To The Various Thought-Police Talkbackers 14:37  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 29/05/08
      49.   Innocent--Framed ---- Reply to #28 14:58  |  Pilate 29/05/08
      50.   Tzfonit aka Umm Itai Ibn Ibrahim 15:35  |  GABE1 29/05/08
      51.   To Mike # 13 - Natanyahu ..... 15:35  |  Dolly 29/05/08
      52.   OLMERT THE TRAITOR TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE ON 2 COUNTS 15:37  |  Harvey (Chaim) 29/05/08
      53.   To Chanalau, Tova # 16 - The Stink of the Crimes 15:48  |  Natasha 29/05/08
      54.   Olmert admitted taking the cash 16:06  |  Zev 29/05/08
      55.   OLMERT wasnot elected at a National Government Election 16:08  |  netta 29/05/08
      56.   I agree with Olmert it`s illogical to bring him down over this!!! 16:23  |  Tali 29/05/08
      57.   Margie in Tel Aviv 16:28  |  GABE1 29/05/08
      58.   Olmert`s inspiration was "The Terminator" 16:34  |  Harvey (Chaim) 29/05/08
      59.   Two type of people 16:53  |  Israel 29/05/08
      60.   Enough with the "Kangaroo Court" 33 17:07  |  Lion 29/05/08
      61.   A Trojan Horse called Olmert 17:27  |  Harvey (Chaim0 29/05/08
      62.   # 41 Esther (and also # 46 Sarah) 18:14  |  Swiss (Dino) 29/05/08
      63.   #61 dino the swiss cheese is now a soothsayer 18:28  |  victor hardman 29/05/08
      64.   Dino the Swiss cheese guy @62 19:13  |  GABE1 29/05/08
      65.   Swiss (Dino) - quite realistic posts #22, 28, 44 & 62 21:48  |  Smadar 29/05/08
      66.   # 63 victor hardman 22:33  |  Swiss (Dino) 29/05/08
      67.   # 64 Wishful thinking, Gabe, wishful thinking...... 22:38  |  Swiss (Dino) 29/05/08
      68.   Is it legal for an american.... 23:27  |  Sam 29/05/08
      69.   Dino the Swiss Cheese Guy@66 00:07</