UPDATED ON:
Thursday, November 27, 2008
15:15 Mecca time, 12:15 GMT
 
News Middle East
Livni calls on Olmert to step down
Olmert has already said he will not contest
 forthcoming elections [File: AFP]

Tzipi Livni, the Israeli foreign minister, has called on Ehud Olmert, the acting prime minister, to stand down immediately due to corruption charges.

Livni made the call on Thursday after authorities announced that they would press charges against Olmert.

"The prime minister has to take a leave of absence, there's no other choice," Livni said at a meeting of the ruling Kadima party in the Tel Aviv satellite town of Petah Tikva.

"Israel cannot tolerate a situation where he is acting as prime minister after a decision to indict him. This is a moral test, this is a question of values and a practical test."

Israel's attorney general wants to try Olmert for alleged double billing of Jewish groups for trips abroad.

Olmert said in July that he would step down as prime minister and not contest parliamentary elections scheduled for February, to fight corruption allegations. He is currently head of a caretaker government

However, Livni has said that he should not wait untill the elections to resign.

His exit would allow Livni to become acting prime minister until the elections.

Livni became leader of the Kadima party in September after an internal election.

But she was unable to gather support of enough legislators to form a new ruling coalition, prompting February's early vote.

 Source: Agencies
Feedback Number of comments : 12
 
Harrison
United States
28/11/2008
Olmert
The governments of the Middle East are given aid to insure that the oil stays flowing into the the west, the corruption has nothing to do with it. It is the corruption that prevents foreign investment and their economies from flourishing, you can not blame the west for the economic problems that the middle east encounters. As for Olmert, he has broken the law and will pay the consequences. But this fact will never spread in the region because there is no democracy

molly
United States
28/11/2008
corruption of israel
HL-"in other states they stay in power and bleed the country dry." That sounds like the our government. "Stealing profits from natural resources." That sounds like our war. You seem to ignore the fact that Israel is starving out the Palestinians right now. That sounds corrupt to me. The reason the US supports them is because we want an ally in the middle east. We can't ever be too far from the oil. That also sounds pretty corrupt. Maybe pointing fingers isn't a good idea.

Daniel
Argentina
28/11/2008
Hypocresy
A leader is the face of its nation? How bad for arabic nations then. Can you be honest just once? Hate Israel, the Israeli, and even the Jews if you like, but you can still recognize than Israel is the only nation of the Middle East where a leader can be sued for corruption, thhe only one that permits that. If neigbouring countries did the same, I could not imagine the result.

maroon
Norway
28/11/2008
_Dont joke
You can find it in every corners of the world....no matter whather it's Israel or the rest of the world ... *We should not blem just Isreal because to be corrupt is the nature of every mankind on this planet..

Osama H
Jordan
30/11/2008
black &white?!No,its GREY!
Yes of course ,this is strong sign of democracy in Israil. We can't argue with that ,even more : I feel much jealousy toward this phenomena. BUT.. BUT You can't ignore the ugly face of Israil toward Palestinian's, inspite of it's democracy. You couldn't deny the racist nature of Israil against Palestinians and Arabs. You should realize the similarity with the South African policy 60/80's and Germany state in 2WW! Such a mentality should be changed to gain peace for all! O.H

AFK
Afghanistan
27/11/2008
due to corruption charges...
All the leaders of these people seem to be corrupt or pervert etc. And the leader is the face of a nation? makes you think.

Harrison Leventhal
United States
27/11/2008
Olmert
AFK, are you suggesting that the leaders of the other states in the Middle East are not corrupt? There is always corruption in government, the difference is that in Israel the perpetrators can be brought to justice where as in other states they stay in power and bleed the country dry, and as far as corruption goes, accepting bribes from businessmen is much less morally reprehensible than stealing profits from natural resources like other states in the region.

Ayman
Canada
27/11/2008
Harrison Leventhal, it is your country-the US that is propping up these corrupt leaders in the Middle-East. By sending them aid, and not speaking out against their suppression of the people, you've given them the power to continue their acts. It seems that the US only speaks out when it benefits them or Israel.

AnyOne
United States
28/11/2008
Hameeha Harameeha
And this is a man the palestinians are supposed to trust to bring peace between them and Israel??? If his own people can't trust him, should the palestinians?? ... What a JOKE !!!.. Livni isn't any better either. She's just hollering now to take over his position... Just wait for future history to bring about HER true colors. .

Iranian Christian woman
Iran
28/11/2008
another good trick to the world
hi this is a nice try! why after many years of corruption he should be claimed now, don't you think that he and his gevernment are going to trial soon becasue of Genocide that they have done to Pallestinians! of course they have to make him step down for only the corruption in order to mis-lead global thoughts from what they are doing as a Genocide!

Hamid
Netherlands
28/11/2008
zionism equals corruption
I hope that Mr harrison differentiates between corruption in the context of the colonial power and that of the middle east. The colonial power called israel reflects corruption in all domains. Accordingly the most corruption they have made is that of the free Palestina. I agree with you that the leaders of the middle east make use of corruption and because of such behaviour that the colonial power still survive. Please publish this time.

Claire
United States
03/12/2008
olmert to step down
I agree with molly. Livni is worried about Israels moral image. Maybe should go to Gaza and the West Bank to see what her government is doing

 
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