Sources in the Labor party expressed anger at disparaging comments directed by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert at Labor chairman Ehud Barak, who Olmert said had impulsively attacked Tzipi Livni after "getting up in the morning and being bitten by a mosquito."

"Mr. Olmert will not teach us how to behave, while an entire nation is still licking the wounds of his mosquito bite from two years ago, which led to one of the most unsuccessful wars in Israel's history," the Labor source said.

"The entire public is aware of Olmert's true opinion about Kadima's candidates and their negative opinion about him," the source added.