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Comments:  91
Last update - 23:42 21/09/2008
Olmert formally submits his resignation to Peres
By Mazal Mualem, Shahar Ilan and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents, and The Associated Press
Tags: Ehud Olmert, Tzipi Livni 

Outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert arrived at the President's residence in Jerusalem Sunday evening to formally submit his resignation to President Shimon Peres after almost 33 months in office.

Olmert earlier announced his decision to step down at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting, held in Jerusalem.

Following the formal resignation, Olmert's cabinet becomes an interim government, and Peres was to begin a round of consultations with all the Knesset factions later Sunday in efforts to establish a new coalition.
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Peres was scheduled to meet with Kadima faction chair Yoel Hasson, Labor's Eitan Cabel, Likud's Gideon Sa'ar and Shas' Yakov Margi. Each MK will be given 45 minutes to recommend to the president a candidate who would be best suited to establish a coalition.

Though it is not certain, Peres is expected to task Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who succeeded Olmert in his post as Kadima Party chair in a primary held last week, with establishing the coalition.

Peres convened a press conference at his residence following Olmert's visit, and thanked the outgoing premier for his "contribution to the people and the sate during so many years of public service ? as mayor of Jerusalem, a minister in Israel's government and as prime minister."

"The security of the state of Israel and the welfare of its citizens have been at the center of his work as prime minister. Some of his actions will remain a mystery," Peres continued.

"I appreciate the respectable way in which the prime minister chose to pass the leadership on. It is a difficult decision, and this is a difficult night for him," the president added.

Peres and Olmert - who have already spoken several times about the resignation - were expected to formulate a timetable for Olmert's gradual leaving of office.

The final decision may be delayed, however, by Peres' departure Monday for New York, where he will attend the United Nations General Assembly. The president is scheduled to remain in New York for a week, during which time he will deliver a speech to world leaders.

Earlier Sunday, Olmert told the cabinet that he gave his blessing to his successor, Livni, and vowed to "support with all of my strength" her efforts to form a coalition government.

Over the weekend, Livni was busy lobbying potential partners to join a new coalition under her leadership.

Olmert's associates said Saturday that he intends to serve as head of a caretaker government until an alternative government is formed or until general elections take place.

Divisions emerged within Kadima on Friday regarding when the premier should step down. Vice Premier Haim Ramon said that Livni should ask Olmert to postpone his resignation until she has succeeded in forging a new government.

Livni on Friday called on Olmert to keep his promise to leave office in the aftermath of Wednesday's Kadima primary, saying, "We have a country to run."

Olmert is stepping down amid a number of corruption allegations, after a tenure troubled by Israel's inconclusive 2006 war against Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas and months of peace talks with the Palestinians that have yielded no breakthroughs.

Even though Livni is now head of Kadima, she does not automatically become prime minister. Peres would have to first appoint her to try to put together a governing coalition - something he is expected to do after Olmert formally resigns. After assigned that task, Livni would have six weeks to form a new government. Should she fail, new elections would be called for early 2009, a year and a half ahead of schedule.

Over the weekend, Livni met with leaders of two small factions outside the coalition, hoping to shore up any government she could put together. Any accords that might emerge from talks with the Palestinians and recently renewed, indirect negotiations with Syria would benefit from broad-based parliamentary backing. The current government controls 67 of parliament's 120 seats.

Neither Kadima nor its coalition partners appear eager for a new election, fearing they would be ousted from power. But the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party, which could be key to building a new coalition, has already said it would not join a government willing to share Jerusalem with the Palestinians.

As lead peace negotiator, Livni is committed to discussing all the outstanding issues between Israel and the Palestinians. The fate of Jerusalem, whose eastern sector the Palestinians claim for a future state, is at the core of the conflict.

Related articles:
  • Livni: Olmert must fulfill his promise to quit after primary
  • Olmert says stepping down is painful, but he feel no bitterness
  • ANALYSIS / Livni's first priority will be to de-Olmertize Kadima
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      1.   Livni is as bad as Olmert is, Livni is a defeatist 08:42  |  Bob Gervitz 21/09/08
      2.   Good riddance 08:59  |  judith 21/09/08
      3.   Let him not emerge sometime later, recycled and wrapped. 09:31  |  Fortuna Benmayor 21/09/08
      4.   Olmert has done more to improve Israels image in the world..... 10:01  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/09/08
      5.   Reply to Fortuna Benmayor in Colombia (Post No. 2) 10:13  |  Johnny Weintraub 21/09/08
      6.   Olmert was one of the best PMs for this country 10:46  |  Philip 21/09/08
      7.   MAZAL TOV 11:22  |  Rabbi Ashkenazi 21/09/08
      8.   #2, you`re right 11:24  |  Debbie 21/09/08
      9.   Ah, but when? 11:50  |  Lila 21/09/08
      10.   olmert to resign 12:01  |  shmuel gurewicz 21/09/08
      11.   olmerde can snap up cheap us property for a move 12:01  |  victor hardman 21/09/08
      12.   the key is ofcourse 12:03  |  rm 21/09/08
      13.   Orwellian Article - "Sharing Jerusalem"? 12:12  |  Ben Israel 21/09/08
      14.   Just do it 12:51  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 21/09/08
      15.   #4 Swiss Dino 13:05  |  MR 21/09/08
      16.   Advice to Phillip from Herzelia 13:06  |  Proud Israeli 21/09/08
      17.   I`m resigning as prime minister 13:12  |  Ralph 21/09/08
      18.   OLMERT LEGACY OF FAILURE 13:18  |  indrajaya 21/09/08
      19.   I won`t buy the champagne until Livni fails to form a coaltion .. 13:21  |  redmike 21/09/08
      20.   # 15 MR 13:22  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/09/08
      21.   FROM NOW ON TO THE EARLY 2009 13:45  |  indrajaya 21/09/08
      22.   Finally 14:27  |  Baruch Gold 21/09/08
      23.   Not Just Shas but Nearly All of Israel Does Not Want To Divide 14:31  |  Baruch Gold 21/09/08
      24.   #16 Pround unIsraeli 14:41  |  Philip 21/09/08
      25.   Olmert: enjoy your retirement, grand-children 14:45  |  Alicia 21/09/08
      26.   FACTS 14:54  |  CHUCK 21/09/08
      27.   LIVNI: right woman, wrong party, no future. 15:05  |  Alicia 21/09/08
      28.   # 27, ALICIA 15:24  |  indrajaya 21/09/08
      29.   Olmert resigning. Nasrallah not resigning any time soon. 15:26  |  Aounist 21/09/08
      30.   EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY COMPARE 15:26  |  v.hardman 21/09/08
      31.   Olmert blessing-death blow to any politician 15:30  |  Arie 21/09/08
      32.   I wrote something like "high time" and it wasn`t accepted. 15:38  |  S 21/09/08
      33.   Bob #1 in Union 15:42  |  Jack 21/09/08
      34.   Olmert was a disaster 15:47  |  Natallie Durson 21/09/08
      35.   # 27 Alicia, I hope you have already booked a course in Arabic... 15:53  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/09/08
      36.   Takr Livni with you 15:53  |  Lea 21/09/08
      37.   Phillip #24 16:18  |  Proud Israeli 21/09/08
      38.   Unfinished business 16:28  |  Patrick Warner 21/09/08
      39.   Why could a rightist PM change security? None have in the past 16:29  |  Observer 21/09/08
      40.   Well, Olmert Is Half Way Out The Door 16:54  |  Jeff Northridge 21/09/08
      41.   Baruch Gold - if you haven`t noticed, the city is divided already 16:54  |  Philip 21/09/08
      42.   Caretaker government,headed by Olmert is the strongest scenario. 17:23  |  Sarah 21/09/08
      43.   #31 observer spots the problem dealing with the arabs does not wo 18:45  |  victor hardman 21/09/08
      44.   Olmert needs to be gone, Shas needs to call for General Elections 19:06  |  Shepherd 21/09/08
      45.   #35 more etzes from dopey dino 19:09  |  victor hardman 21/09/08
      46.   I got an acknowldgment about receipt of my unemployment predicame 19:38  |  P.M.O.`s no answer 21/09/08
      47.   Swiss (Dino) #35 _ While I Do Not Agree With Alicia 19:44  |  Eli 21/09/08
      48.   To Phillip (#6) 19:53  |  Morris Valentine 21/09/08
      49.   Philip From Herzlia _ I Am In Agreement With Your 19:55  |  Eli 21/09/08
      50.   #35 DINO, you will be studying Arabic sooner 20:03  |  Alicia 21/09/08
      51.   Civilized Israelis 20:06  |  Fan 21/09/08
      52.   #20 Swiss (Dino) 20:12  |  Malone 21/09/08
      53.   # 45 Eli 20:15  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/09/08
      54.   Good riddance! 20:17  |  Zionist 21/09/08
      55.   # 45 victor hardman 20:30  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/09/08
      56.   2 mortar shells fired from Gaza strike 20:31  |  vik 21/09/08
      57.   Aounist # 29 _ Re Nasrallah Is Not Resigning 20:35  |  Eli 21/09/08
      58.   # 50 Don`t worry, Alicia, it`s not that bad....... 20:36  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/09/08
      59.   # 52 Malone 20:44  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/09/08
      60.   give away 250000 Pals 20:52  |  Shelley 21/09/08
      61.   Reply to Jeff Northridge (Post No. 40) 20:54  |  Johnny Weintraub 21/09/08
      62.   Baruch Hashem 21:05  |  Joe Frazier 21/09/08
      63.   Olmert as Head of Caretaker Government??? 21:26  |  Dagma 21/09/08
      64.   To Phillip # 6 - You musst be his best friend 21:32  |  Natasha 21/09/08
      65.   Olmert is not Charged yet...... 21:43  |  Dolly 21/09/08
      66.   A SAD ENDING 21:44  |  Ian 21/09/08
      67.   Swiss (Dino) # 53 _ You Are Misreading My Message 21:56  |  Eli 21/09/08
      68.   Is this the end of the hapless Kadima? 22:00  |  Onlooker 21/09/08
      69.   These aren`t elections this is musical chairs game 22:03  |  Nach 21/09/08
      70.   "Some of his actions will remain a mystery."--Peres 22:19  |  Jeff Northridge 21/09/08
      71.   #39 Observer 22:24  |  Alicia 21/09/08
      72.   Olmert did say `We are tired of winning`.... 22:25  |  The Truthful one 21/09/08
      73.   Peres on Olmert 22:35  |  Steven 21/09/08
      74.   Well At Least... 22:39  |  Yosemite 21/09/08
      75.   Peres acts with a little Dignity.now accepting Olmert;`s Resigna 22:40  |  Josephus 21/09/08
      76.   Olmert is disgusting 22:52  |  An American Lady 21/09/08
      77.   An American Lady _ No Being A fan Of Olmert 23:33  |  Eli 21/09/08
      78.   Yosemite _ Your Iconoclastic Humour Compells Me 23:37  |  Eli 21/09/08
      79.   HOW COULD A RIGHTIST PM CHANGE SECURITY?---- NONE HAVE BEFORE NOW 00:13  |  Observer 22/09/08
      80.   resignation 00:24  |  Mark 22/09/08
      81.   #29 Aounist - One thing we can say about Olmert 00:37  |  * BEN JABO 22/09/08
      82.   olmert`s resiganation 01:45  |  harry 22/09/08
      83.   olmert`s resignation 02:00  |  harry 22/09/08
      84.   #41 Philip: Jerusalem is Not Divided To Those Who Are Not Racist 02:10  |  Baruch Gold 22/09/08
      85.   Dino and the swiss chocolate... 03:26  |  Dogboy 22/09/08
      86.   Eli Here`s One For You (Caution F-Word) 03:54  |  Yosemite 22/09/08
      87.   0lmert 04:24  |  doctor 22/09/08
      88.   Another Olmert and Israel will split from the Middle. 05:46  |  Akram Zekaria 22/09/08
      89.   We still have government of knaves 09:06  |  Ilan 22/09/08
      90.   The Swiss Miss Dino is not for the Arabs 09:12  |  x-ray 22/09/08
      91.   #79 Observer, "changing security" 10:38  |  Alicia 22/09/08
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