News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) All eyes are on Labor party chairman and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who is under intense pressure to decide what to do in the wake of the political earthquake that virtually all media observers say will end with an indictment against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. The prime minister said Thursday night he will resign if an indictment is filed, but insisted he is innocent of charges that he pocketed money donated by American businessman and philanthropist Morris Talansky.

Voice of Israel government radio said that the prime minister's former close friend and attorney Uri Messer has "spilled the beans" to investigators. The media also has noted that Prime Minister Olmert appears to be distraught and refused to be interviewed on Yom HaAtzmaut (Independence Day), breaking a long-standing tradition

Coalition party leaders remained mostly silent Friday while media and opposition parties called on the Knesset to topple the government headed by Prime Minister Olmert. One of the few coalition Knesset Members to speak against the prime minister was MK Shelly Yechimovich (Labor), who said the prime minister is "up to his neck" in charges of corruption and must resign immediately. Similar calls were made by virtually every opposition party.