By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Thursday said his Labor Party still considers calling for a parliament dissolution and early general elections unless Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s Kadima party expedites the primary and forms an acceptable new government.
“We prefer governmental stability, and if we can build a government that appeals to us in this Knesset (parliament), we will weigh joining hands and establishing it. If not, we will go to elections,” local daily Ha’aretz quoted Barak as saying at a Labor party meeting.
The Labor chairman made the remarks a day after the scandal-plagued prime minister gave the go-ahead for the Kadima primary to select his replacement. The call is increasing on him to step down over suspicions that he took illicit money from an American businessman before becoming the prime minister.
Yet Ha’aretz reported Olmert’s green light does not satisfy the Labor, Kadima’s main partner in the ruling coalition, which demands that a specific date be set for the primary, following its earlier threats to vote for dissolving the Knesset if Olmert refuses to leave office.
“First we will hear the decisions from the other side,” Barak said. “If the reality calls for it, we will bring on an initial reading of the law to dissolve the Knesset.”
Israel’s main opposition the Likud party announced that it will introduce to the Knesset a bill requesting a parliament dissolution in an effort to set a date for new elections, as early as November. The preliminary reading of the bill is expected on June 25, a week later than the previously set date in order to gather more support.
Local media reported the Kadima primary is likely to be held in early September, when four senior Kadima members will compete for the party leadership, including Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit and Public Security Minister Avi Dichter.