Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., January 31, 2008 Shvat 24, 5768 | | Israel Time: 23:57 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Labor Party Chairman Ehud Barak. (Daniel Bar-On / Jini) Last update - 13:44 31/01/2008 Calls said growing within Labor for Barak to quit Olmert coalition By Haaretz Service Tags: Ehud Barak, Ophir Pines-Paz  One day following the release of the Winograd Committee's final report on the Second Lebanon War, Labor Party Chairman Ehud Barak is coming under increasing pressure from rank-and-file Labor Party members to follow through on his campaign pledge to quit the coalition should the prime minister refuse to resign. Aides to Barak told Army Radio on Thursday that the report "isn't as grave as believed," yet the defense minister does find some elements troubling. Given the report's criticisms of Olmert, Barak is in no hurry to declare his intention to remain in the government. Aides say Barak understands that while the report does exonerate Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on a number of aspects, it also finds fault with the premier on others, Army Radio reported. Advertisement Yet, Barak's circle of advisors appear to be increasingly convinced that resigning from the government at this stage would be irresponsible given that the defense minister is currently the only one who can - and must - correct the inadequacies cited by the Winograd report, Army Radio reported. Since it became clear Olmert has no intention of stepping down, public attention has shifted to the Labor Party chairman, who has now become the focal point of protests spearheaded by reservist soldiers who fought in the war as well as the bereaved families of Israel Defense Forces troops who fell in battle. The fault line within Barak's faction runs between MKs who are demanding Labor pull out of the government - Ophir Pines-Paz, Eitan Cabel, Shelly Yachimovich, and Danny Yatom - and senior Labor members serving as ministers in the cabinet who argue against leaving the coalition, Army Radio said. "I call on Barak to leave the government, to abide by his obligation to the public," MK Pines-Paz said. "I still believe Ehud Barak is cut from the cloth of leaders. Barak must do the intelligent thing." Related articles: Yossi Sarid / High-stakes roller Ari Shavit / The public's turn to speak Yossi Verter / Over to you, Ehud! Haaretz Editorial / Worse than the partial report Israel Harel / Every citizen's responsibility Bookmark to del.icio.us   Painful lessons The IDF has already learnt lessons of the Second Lebanon War. Brothers in guilt 'We are all guilty; is an effective summary of the final Winograd report.   1.   Will Barak resign.? Washington will say..nay..! 13:41  |  Stephen. 31/01/08   2.   Barak is strenghtening himself at the cost of the party 13:47  |  David 31/01/08   3.   Barak drops Olmert 14:02  |  David 31/01/08   4.   Lying to your voters is more irresponsible 15:26  |  Bruno 31/01/08   5.   Election and Renewal Needed 15:49  |  Brod 31/01/08   6.   Sderot and other targets 21:53  |  Arkady Dashevsky 31/01/08

Today Online Netanyahu: Olmert is incompetent, not fit to lead state Responses: 93 Jewish group to build 200 new homes in East Jerusalem Responses: 170 Winograd: Current use of cluster bombs not in line with int'l law Responses: 76 Israel says Libya unworthy of seat on UN Security Council Responses: 80 Israel Harel: Public shares blame for mistakes in war Responses: 14 Rosner's Domain The campaign for Darfur has achieved all its goals - but one Has the era of Orthodox women rabbis arrived? (WTR) Rosner's Guest: Too many Jewish organizations? Poll: Is there a "constant virulent campaign" against Obama? Back to divestment from Israel (WTR) More Headlines 23:38 Opposition leader Netanyahu: Olmert is incompetent, unfit to lead 23:23 4 hurt in explosion at natural gas factory near J'lem 20:41 Solana, Blair to travel to Middle East next week to discuss Gaza border crisis 17:30 Lebanon: Winograd war probe report sets scene for future war 23:47 Israel's new TESCAR spy satellite transmits first top quality images 21:35 Brazil judge bans carnival float depicting naked Holocaust victims 23:45 Visiting U.S. singer Badu says she backs Farrakhan, Palestinian cause 16:56 IDF kills Palestinian approaching Israel border in southern Gaza 20:50 Cut in Internet cables off Egypt causes outages across Mideast to India 16:53 Egypt blocks Gaza cars from Sinai, pedestrians still entering 20:58 U.K. conservative angers EU parliament for making Nazi comment 16:18 German authorities charge 22-year-old man with stabbing rabbi 20:18 Jerusalem to build city's first non-Orthodox secular burial site Previous Editions Select Day 30 jan 29 jan 28 jan 27 jan 25 jan 24 jan 23 jan 22 jan 21 jan 20 jan 18 jan 17 jan

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