Olmert hands in formal resignation

Source: Al-Jazeera TV, 21-09-2008

Ehud Olmert, prime minister of the occupying regime, has formally submitted his resignation to the ‘Israeli' president days after Tzipi Livni, the country's foreign minister, was elected as the new leader of the ruling Kadima party.

"Prime Minister Ehud Olmert presented to me this evening his resignation as head of the government," Shimon Peres said after the two met on Sunday.

Olmert, who faces criminal indictment in corruption probes, could stay in office as caretaker prime minister for weeks or months until a new coalition government is formed or a new parliamentary election held.

"This decision was not easy, it was not simple, and it was not taken in an offhanded way," Olmert said before handing over his resignation.

"I have decided to end my functions as prime minister of the government of Israel," Olmert said in remarks broadcast on ‘Israeli' television.

"I hope that Tzipi Livni will succeed in forming a national government with the composition she wants... For my part, I will help her with all my strength."

Coalition challenge

After her win in the Kadima party leadership vote, Livni now has the task of forming a coalition government in order to prevent snap general elections.

Polls have indicated that such a vote would sweep the opposition Likud party to power.
Should Livni succeed in forming a coalition, she would become the first female prime minister in ‘Israel' for 30 years.

Olmert was criticized for his handling of the 2006 war in Lebanon against Hizbullah, which ended
without a decisive ‘Israeli' blow against the organization.

He is also facing several allegations of corruption, with police investigating claims that he accepted cash payments from an American businessman before he became prime minister.