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Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman (Nir Keidar) Last update - 08:35 05/05/2008 Mazuz hints details of Olmert probe to be released shortly By Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondent, and Haaretz Service Tags: Ehud Olmert, Israel, Kadima  Officials involved in a pending investigation against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert hinted on Sunday that the details of the probe would be released soon, following a strict gag order placed on the case since questioning began last week. Attorney General Menachem Mazuz, State Prosecutor Moshe Lador and Israel Police Chief Investigator Yohanan Danino issued a joint statement on Sunday evening calling attention to the public right to information regarding the ongoing investigation. "Certainly, in a situation where the prime minister is being investigated under caution without any information being given to the public and without any general lines with which to characterize the suspicion, there arises some legal and public difficulties." Advertisement The three said that would continued to follow closely developments in the case in order to publicize information as quickly as possible without harming proceedings of the investigation. "Understandably, considering the clear sensitivity of the situation and the legal and public implications of the investigation, a special effort is being made by all elements involved in the matter to speed up the dealings as quickly as possible," said the statement. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Sunday said she had every confidence in the police officers questioning Olmert as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into his conduct, and urged critics to let them "do their job." "I have no doubt that they will do their work dispassionately, and I hope they can finish it quickly so they can remove the current uncertainties," she said during a press conference with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Jerusalem. It was the first comment Livni has made regarding the ongoing probe, whose details have been under gag order since the prime minister was questioned Friday. Livni has been touted as a possible replacement for Olmert should he step down. "The right thing to at this stage is to let the investigative officials carry out their job," the foreign minister told reporters. Police chief Dudi Cohen also addressed the latest scandal for the first time on Sunday, defending the gag order because of the sensitivity nature of the case. "The quality of the investigation comes above the right of the public to know," he said. Other lawmakers were less forgiving of the investigation than Livni. Yisrael Beiteinu chairman and former cabinet minister Avigdor Lieberman called for early elections Sunday, in light of the new police probe. Lieberman said that the collapse of the Olmert government is imminent, regardless of the investigations against the prime minister. "Political instability, together with strategic instability, puts Israel at risk. We must therefore hold early elections," Lieberman said. Lieberman asked his party's whip, MK Robert Ilatov, to appeal to other parties in the house and make arrangements for the elections to take place in September. Lieberman's bid follows a similar initiative to dissolve the Knesset launched Saturday by Likud MK Silvan Shalom. Lieberman also commented on recent reports of Olmert's alleged readiness to withdraw from the Golan Heights in return for a peace accord with Syria. "The Golan Heights is an inseparable part of Israel as much as Tel Aviv is," he said. "If you hand over the Golan, you won't celebrate Israel's 61st anniversary." Senior members of Labor said Saturday that appeared to be the beginning of the end for the Olmert government, following the prime minister's questioning and the split last week in the Pensioners Party, a member of Kadima's coalition. Meanwhile, senior Kadima members bemoaned the fact that their party had only begun to revive in the polls after the Winograd report, before receiving this latest blow. "Either it's really serious, or [Attorney General Menachem] Mazuz will have to explain how a prime minister was almost arrested on Friday," a senior Kadima party member said. However, said fellow faction member MK Yoel Hasson, "Past experience shows that all the investigations against prime ministers begin with a big noise and end with nothing. The political system should stop being hysterical and making hasty political use [of it] that could undermine the stability of the government." Senior Labor figures said that even if Olmert was forced to step down, moving elections up might not be the right thing to do. They added that an alternative government headed by Livni might be better for Labor. "We must leave the work to those dealing with it, and politicians should keep quiet about it," said former Labor party leader Amir Peretz. He was critical of his successor as Labor chairman, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who Peretz claimed had held consultations to decide how to respond to the investigation. Barak on Saturday called reports of such consultations "gossip and rumors." MK Ophir Pines (Labor) called on Mazuz to quickly release the information on the suspicions against Olmert. Likud faction head MK Gideon Sa'ar said "Olmert is the most investigated prime minister in Israel's history, who heads the government with the most criminal affairs among its members in history." Sa'ar said Olmert's government was surviving thanks to Labor. MK Zahava Gal-On (Meretz) called on Mazuz to instruct Olmert to resign until the investigation is complete. Related articles: Olmert: I'll keep doing my job despite malicious rumors Rice to pressure Israel on West Bank roadblocks Palestinian forces en route to Jenin for large-scale security op 2 children, 1 senior citizen die in separate fires across Israel Bookmark to del.icio.us   Under probe Olmert stays focused on work despite new allegations. Taxi Hamas Hamas police cars serve as taxis in fuel-starved Gaza.   1.   This two can make a parallel Knesset in jail 17:59  |  Ulf 04/05/08   2.   What Good Is To Take Olmert Kadima Down If Road Map perfidy Stays 18:45  |  Joseph . E 04/05/08   3.   Successes speculations and who will foot the lawyer?s bill. 19:30  |  H.H.M 04/05/08   4.   Olmert 19:39  |  Morris Galgut 04/05/08   5.   olmert 20:00  |  marco 04/05/08   6.   To H,H.M # 3 - The Lawyer`s Bill,,, 20:06  |  Dagma 04/05/08   7.   Livni needs to tell Olmert he must resign now 21:07  |  Shepherd 04/05/08   8.   MK Yoel Hasson needs to stand up to Olmert to resign 21:13  |  Dish It Out 04/05/08   9.   Thou shalt not covet... 21:52  |  Nat 04/05/08   10.   Pressure must mount on Shas to leave now 22:23  |  Meir Weinstein 04/05/08   11.   JUST ANOTHER WHITWASH. REMOVE OLMERT FOR SDEROT CHILDREN)) 00:08  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 05/05/08   12.   Lieberman a suspect in his own right.... 00:12  |  Esther 05/05/08   13.   Olmert and Zaken 02:13  |  Rabbi Yakov Lazaros 05/05/08

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