Last update - 00:00 06/06/2007
Barak: If elected Labor chair I will seek Olmert's resignation
By Mazal Mualem, Haaretz Correspondent, and Haaretz Service
Former prime minister Ehud Barak said Wednesday that if elected Labor chairman in the upcoming primary, he will recommend to the Labor Central Committee to demand that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert resign from his position before the Winograd war probe commission releases its final report.
Barak spoke at a press conference Wedensday afternoon, during which MK Ophir Pines-Paz (Labor) announced that he would back Barak's candidacy in the second round of Labor leadership primaries. The runoff is scheduled for next Tuesday.
Pines-Paz had previously said that his support would depend upon the candidate's position regarding the Winograd report.
Barak maintained that "the Winograd report is a tough report, requiring personal conclusions. Olmert must come to his own personal conclusions and resign, as did Dan Halutz and Amir Peretz, in their way," referring to the fact that after being severely criticized for their conduct during the Second Lebanon War, Halutz resigned from his post as IDF chief of staff and Peretz announced that he would not seek the defense portfolio if he were to win the Labor chairmanship.
Barak added that "if Olmert does not quit before the release of the final report, we [Labor] will be forced to end our cooperation with Olmert, and work to create a new coalition within the current government, or alternatively, we'll work toward setting a date for elections."
Several weeks ago, Barak said that in light of the Winograd findings, he believes that Olmert should resign, but would be willing to serve as defense minister under his leadership on an interim basis.
On Monday, MK Ami Ayalon, who is neck and neck with Ehud Barak to become the next chairman of the Labor Party, left open the possibility that Labor will stay in the government if he is elected leader. He said the decision would be made by the party's institutions.
Outgoing Labor chairman Peretz, who is backing Ayalon, hopes to stay in the government. He wants a cabinet post that will let him get involved in social issues.
Ayalon told his supporters during a meeting at his campaign headquarters in Tel Aviv that he had not held negotiations with Peretz to discuss who would get which position if Ayalon wins the primaries' runoff against Barak. Ayalon said he told Peretz that he has nothing to promise him.