May 29 Headlines
Thursday
HA’ARETZ
1. OLMERT TO KADIMA MINISTERS: GIVE ME TIME TO PROVE MY INNOCENCE; I WILL NOT RESIGN.
Barak calls on Olmert to quit and political establishment estimates: Early elections within six months.
2. POLICE AND STATE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE: INDICTMENT FOR MONEY LAUNDERING ALREADY ESTABLISHED.
3. 6.3% UNEMPLOYMENT – LOWEST RATE SINCE 1995.
MA’ARIV
1. OLMERT: LET ME GO WITH HONOR.
Outwardly, PM promises to "return fire" and take revenge on Barak, who "is trying to shatter Kadima." But behind the scenes, Olmert is trying to formulate departure agreement with his party. The plan: Remain as long as he is fighting for his innocence, set orderly date for primaries and hand over the scepter – as long as it is not to Tzipi Livni.
2. MAZUZ PRODDING POLICE.
Today: Attorney General to ask senior Justice Ministry and [Israel Police] Investigations Branch heads to hurry up.
3. MARCH OF THE WITNESSES.
Yitzhak Shuva and former Finance Minister Hirchson also testified in affair.
YEDIOT AHRONOT
1. OLMERT: THEY'RE TRYING TO LYNCH ME.
Makes it clear: Despite Barak's demand, I am not resigning. Olmert insists on visiting US; Rice considering canceling visit.
2. APPARENT: ELECTIONS WITHIN SIX MONTHS.
Barak: Either Olmert leaves – or we forward elections.
3. TODAY: CRITICAL DISCUSSION AT STATE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
Goal: Decide quickly on whether or not to indict.
[MAKOR RISHON-HATZOFEHwas unavailable today.]
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SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS
Ma'ariv claims that, "All opposing arguments sound unconvincing when juxtaposed against the chances of changing the strategic situation through peace with Syria," and supports negotiations with Syrian President Bashar Assad.
The Jerusalem Post comments on the current political consensus that the premier cannot possibly carry on, citing its oft-stated belief that Olmert should have vacated the Prime Minister's Office in the wake of the Second Lebanon War. The editor adds that "the fact that he is now deeply implicated in an ugly corruption scandal, and is not doing everything he can to ensure all evidence is made available as rapidly as possible to clear his name, only further disqualifies him from that most critical of offices".
Haaretz claims that Ehud Olmert's term as prime minister is about to end with Morris Talansky's testimony, and agrees with Labor Party chairman Ehud Barak's assessment that the best alternative is setting up an alternative government with the participation of Labor but with another Kadima representative at its head. The editor calls for the transfer of the premiership to FM Tzipi Livni as Kadima prepares to elect a permanent leader.
Yediot Ahronot refers to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as, "The man who would be king, and adds that, "He was accustomed to keep quiet, to cover up and even be very successful for many years, and it would seem that had not his avarice overpowered his caution, and had he not been shoved into the Prime Minister's seat, he would have died righteous at a ripe old age and left to his succeeding generations all of his wealth and apartments."
[Rafi Mann and Yigal Sarena wrote today’s articles in Yediot Ahronotand Ma'ariv, respectively. Makor Rishon-Hatzofehwas unavailable today.]
(Courtesy of the GPO)
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