Knesset to Olmert: QUIT or WE Get Off the Pot !
The good news for Olmert is that most observers don’t think that his actions as described by American Morris Talansky in his testimony today, are in themselves illegal. The bad news is those same people think that Olmert’s actions were disgusting and immoral. Knesset ministers from all parties are calling for Prime Minister Comb-over to resign whether he is indicted or not.
Meretz-Yahad Chairman Chaim Oron said, “I call on Olmert once again to suspend himself immediately. His rights as a civilian and his obligations as prime minister have created an unbridgeable gap. The only outlet is the halting of his service as prime minister.”
MK Ran Cohen (Meretz-Yahad) added, “Despite my support for the political process that Olmert is leading, if what Talansky says is true Olmert cannot spend another day sitting in the chair of the prime minister.”
Right-wing MKs also called on Olmert to resign. MK Limor Livnat (Likud) said, “Though Olmert and his people have attempted to undermine Morris Talansky, today we have discovered that indeed the prime minister had received hundreds of thousands of dollars in envelopes, in cash and not checks. If anyone had doubts, Talansky’s testimony proved that Olmert must go and an election must be held.”
MK Zevulun Orlev (National Union-NRP) demanded that the coalition parties resign from the government. “Talansky’s testimony constitutes a severe public indictment against Olmert. The prime minister, who asked for and received envelopes with cash, has lost his moral authority. The coalition parties will be acting as accessories to this felony if they do not bring his reign to an end,” he said. (Source Ynet)
But the big blow may come on Wednesday, as Defense Minister Ehud Barak is mulling over calling for the PM to resign or he will bring down the coalition: