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Barak: Olmert will not get to pick the next justice minister By Natasha Mozgovaya and Mazal Mualem Tags: olmert WASHINGTON - The war of words between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak over Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann gathered steam last night. Responding to Olmert's statement that if he had to choose between Friedmann and Barak, he would pick Friedmann, Barak replied: "If and when the issue arises, I doubt Prime Minister Olmert will be the one dealing with it." He was referring to the likelihood that Olmert will be replaced following the Kadima Party leadership primary in September. The battle erupted when Barak, who chairs the Labor Party, said he would demand Friedmann's replacement as part of any coalition negotiations with Olmert's successor. Advertisement That remark, which was reported in Sunday's Haaretz, prompted Olmert to make his remark about preferring Friedmann to Barak, while attending a Kadima faction meeting on Monday. Barak, who is currently in Washington, issued his latest salvo following a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, when Israeli journalists requested his response to Olmert's comment. "Olmert is in repression," a senior Labor Party official said yesterday. "He is prime minister [only] until the Kadima primary, so his statements are really not relevant. They are meant to create the impression that he is still running the country. When we demand that Friedmann be replaced, Olmert will no longer be prime minister." At Monday's faction meeting, Olmert accused Barak of "trying to issue diktats from the bottom rung of the ladder ... I'm the prime minister, and if anyone thinks he will force us to fire someone else in order to forge a coalition with him, he is mistaken." Added Olmert: "I recommend that no one [try to] intimidate Kadima. We're the largest party." Meanwhile, senior Kadima members who support Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni's bid for the party's leadership have expressed concern recently about her "situation in the field." They said Livni had erred in not making a major effort to recruit new members to the party, relying instead on her popularity to carry the day. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Internal fighting Human rights groups say torture is widespread in Palestinian lockups. Danger looms Pentagon chief Robert Gates warns: War with Iran would be 'disastrous.'

Read & React Abbas vows to dismantle PA if Israel frees Hamas prisoners for Shalit Responses: 187 Palestinian boy, 11, killed during protest at West Bank fence Responses: 254 Haaretz TV: Hamas summer camp teaches Gaza kids to hate and kill Responses: 135 Barak: U.S. to provide Israel with defense systems against Iran strike Responses: 85 Olmert: I'll quit once new Kadima leader chosen Responses: 52 More Headlines 01:19 Olmert: I'll quit as PM when Kadima picks new leader 02:02 Peace talks to continue despite Olmert declaration, say PA and U.S 01:32 ANALYSIS: Crushed and battered, Olmert finally broke 22:20 Poll: Netanyahu is public's preferred choice for next PM 01:01 Report: Obama 'gets the feeling' Israel to strike Iran if sanctions fail 01:56 Palestinians: IDF troops wound 9 at boy's funeral in West Bank 23:38 Israeli defender Tal Ben-Haim signs with Manchester City FC 22:25 Background / Scandals linked to Olmert 16:46 Syria and Israel end 4th round of indirect talks, more set for Aug. 18:05 State panel of inquiry to probe treatment of evacuated settlers 10:51 Can a 14-year-old computer geek be the CEO of a startup company? 17:38 Study: Both Hamas and Fatah guilty of human rights violations 17:35 Court orders squatters to quit East Jerusalem property at once 19:10 German broadcaster shuts Gaza office to protest camerman's arrest Previous Editions Select Day 30 jul 29 jul 28 jul 27 jul 25 jul 24 jul 23 jul 22 jul 21 jul 20 jul 18 jul 17 jul

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