MINISTERS: OLMERT JUSTS WANTS A DIGNIFIED EXIT
By Gil Ronen - Ministers from the Kadima party said Wednesday that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert understands that "this is the end" politically, and only asks that he be allowed to transfer the reins of power in a "dignified" way. In the Likud, Shas and Labor parties, the generally accepted prediction is that Olmert will resign and that elections for the 18th Knesset and a new government will take place in late 2008. Another possible scenario which is considered less likely involves Olmert suspending himself without resigning, thus making it possible for someone else in Kadima to take his seat as Prime Minister.
The catalyst for the current situation was Labor leader Ehud Barak's press conference Wednesday morning, in which he called upon Olmert to "disconnect himself from the business of running the government" and hinted broadly that he would like the Kadima ministers to choose an alternative leader who would replace Olmert as Prime Minister, without elections.