Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni says that she told Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in a private meeting Wednesday that in light of the severe conclusions of the Winograd Commission report, he should step down from office.
Livni clarified that she is not resigning from her position as foreign minister and will not act to bring down the government. "The decision whether to resign is Olmert's, and I am merely expressing my opinion in public."
Livni said that her ruling Kadima party should select another person to lead the party and take over as prime minister if and when Olmert steps down.
She said that she has nothing personal against Olmert, and is not joining those who wish to oust him. Livni clarified that she will not vote in favor of Knesset no-confidence motions designed to bring down the government. "General elections are not what the country needs right now," she said.
"No, I am not issuing an ultimatum," she said in response to a question, "but rather expressing my opinion vocally."
In the Kadima Party meeting which is convening in the Knesset Wednesday evening, there appear to be only three members who will publicly call for Olmert's resignation due to his failures as outlined in the Winograd Commission interim report. They are Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, resigning Kadima Faction Chairman MK Avigdor Yitzchaki, and MK Marina Solodkin. Political analysts are saying that what was perceived as a party rebellion against Olmert has apparently lost its tailwind.
In the wake of Livni's call for his resignation, Olmert must decide whether to tolerate Livni's continued presence in the government or immediately terminate her tenure as foreign minister.
Olmert warned Livni Wednesday that he intends to fire her if she undermines him. "You cannot conduct a campaign of sabotage against me and remain my Number Two," Olmert told Livni. "You have to consider your path of action and decide what you want to do."
Most of Olmert's advisors reportedly advised him to fire Livni, but others told him that such a move would hurt him, because she is more popular than he is.
MK Avigdor Yitzhaki is resigning from his position as Kadima faction chairman and chairman of the coalition. Yitzhaki will be replaced by MK Tzachi Hanegbi.
Hanegbi, who is chairman of the Knesset's Foreign Relations and Defense Committee, is considered to be one of Ehud Olmert's closest confidantes.
Defense Minister Amir Peretz's advisors say that they cannot find in the Winograd interim report any justification for the Defense Minister to resign. Peretz said earlier Wednesday that the word "failure" appears in the Winograd report relatively few times in relation to his name.
Opposition MK Limor Livnat (Likud Party) responded to Livni's announcement saying that to demand of Olmert to resign is not enough. She charged that responsibility for failure in the Second Lebanon War rests on each member of the government, and it is incumbent upon each one of them to resign. Livnat applauded Minister Without Portfolio Eitan Cabel (Labor) for stepping down. "All the others," said Livnat, "are clinging to their chairs."
Livni clarified that she is not resigning from her position as foreign minister and will not act to bring down the government. "The decision whether to resign is Olmert's, and I am merely expressing my opinion in public."
Livni said that her ruling Kadima party should select another person to lead the party and take over as prime minister if and when Olmert steps down.
She said that she has nothing personal against Olmert, and is not joining those who wish to oust him. Livni clarified that she will not vote in favor of Knesset no-confidence motions designed to bring down the government. "General elections are not what the country needs right now," she said.
"No, I am not issuing an ultimatum," she said in response to a question, "but rather expressing my opinion vocally."
In the Kadima Party meeting which is convening in the Knesset Wednesday evening, there appear to be only three members who will publicly call for Olmert's resignation due to his failures as outlined in the Winograd Commission interim report. They are Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, resigning Kadima Faction Chairman MK Avigdor Yitzchaki, and MK Marina Solodkin. Political analysts are saying that what was perceived as a party rebellion against Olmert has apparently lost its tailwind.
In the wake of Livni's call for his resignation, Olmert must decide whether to tolerate Livni's continued presence in the government or immediately terminate her tenure as foreign minister.
Olmert warned Livni Wednesday that he intends to fire her if she undermines him. "You cannot conduct a campaign of sabotage against me and remain my Number Two," Olmert told Livni. "You have to consider your path of action and decide what you want to do."
Most of Olmert's advisors reportedly advised him to fire Livni, but others told him that such a move would hurt him, because she is more popular than he is.
MK Avigdor Yitzhaki is resigning from his position as Kadima faction chairman and chairman of the coalition. Yitzhaki will be replaced by MK Tzachi Hanegbi.
Hanegbi, who is chairman of the Knesset's Foreign Relations and Defense Committee, is considered to be one of Ehud Olmert's closest confidantes.
Defense Minister Amir Peretz's advisors say that they cannot find in the Winograd interim report any justification for the Defense Minister to resign. Peretz said earlier Wednesday that the word "failure" appears in the Winograd report relatively few times in relation to his name.
Opposition MK Limor Livnat (Likud Party) responded to Livni's announcement saying that to demand of Olmert to resign is not enough. She charged that responsibility for failure in the Second Lebanon War rests on each member of the government, and it is incumbent upon each one of them to resign. Livnat applauded Minister Without Portfolio Eitan Cabel (Labor) for stepping down. "All the others," said Livnat, "are clinging to their chairs."