Last update - 00:00 21/01/2008
PM works to pre-empt Labor revolt ahead of Winograd report
By Mazal Mualem, Haaretz Correspondent
One of the main goals set by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his staff in preparation for the final report by the Winograd Committee on the Second Lebanon War is to put pressure on Labor Party Chairman and Defense Minister Ehud Barak in order to keep him from carrying out his "Sdot Yam" promise to demand Olmert's resignation or, alternatively, make moves toward early elections.
To this end, the prime minister's aides have been working to shore up Olmert's position within Kadima, with the aim of sending Barak the message that there is no one in that party with whom the defense minister could cooperate in a scheme to replace Olmert. Kadima MKs have been briefed to attack Barak in the media and accuse him of cooking up political deals at the expense of the Israeli public.
Olmert's men are also attempting to send the message that the prime minister cannot be turned and has no intention of knuckling under to Barak's threats and being dragged into early elections. Olmert intends to complete his term, and any minister who wants to quit is welcome to do so, following the example set last week by MK Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beiteinu).
Olmert and his staff are making enormous efforts to broadcast to the public the news that the problems highlighted in the interim Winograd report have been fixed, the government is fully active in all areas and the prime minister is a responsible captain of the ship of state who consults frequently and attends many discussions.
The statements of support published in local newspapers on Sunday under the banner, "Olmert, we believe in you," organized by Olmert's advisers and signed by over 100 members of Kadima's council, are part of the pre-Winograd campaign. The advertisements also contained a hidden message to Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz and Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit, who see themselves as Olmert's successors, warning them not to be tempted into taking advantage of the committee's report to cooperate with Barak in removing Olmert as head of Kadima.
MK Shai Hermesh (Kadima) of the kibbutz movement, a former member of Labor's Central Committee, has been meeting with Labor members on kibbutzim, asking them to put pressure on Barak in order to head off moves toward early elections.
On Friday, Olmert and his aides were briefed on a letter sent by the head of Labor's kibbutz bloc, Ze'ev Shor, to Barak, in which he urged the defense minister to remain in the government following the release of the Winograd report and avoid giving in to political figures whose interest are contrary to those of the Labor Party - in other words, to Likud head Benjamin Netanyahu.
Olmert does not fear a mutiny within Kadima as a result of the January 30 release of the final report, in contrast to the mood prior to the interim report's publication. He believes that Livni, burned once when she tried to bring about his resignation, will be shy this time around. Other potential mutineers, such as MKs Majali Wahabi, David Tal, Ruhama Avraham and Yaakov Edri, have all been neutralized by being given ministerial portfolios or other senior appointments.
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