By KUNA,
Gaza : The Israeli Labor Party has backed down from voting for dissolution of the Knesset, thus averting further aggravation of Israel’s current political crisis that would have capped with fall of Ehud Olmert’s Cabinet.
Israel Radio reported that the party altered its attitude during a meeting of its leaders, late last night, and that Olmert responded to a request by Defense Minister Ehud Barak, a Labor leader, to hold early elections to elect a successor to him for heading the Kadima Party.
Barak withdrew his support for a bill to dissolve the Knesset that was to be voted upon during a session of the legislative assembly today.
The two parties, kadima and Labor, have signed an agreement in this regard, providing that Kadima would hold a session early today to set a date for preliminary elections for the chairmanship of the party.
Labor MPs whose party is part of a coalition government decided on Monday to vote in favor of a bill to dissolve the Knesset during the parliament session on Wednesday.
Fifteen members of the Knesset approved the bill. The dissolution of the Knesset would have resulted in ousting the government of Olmert, charged with financial corruption cases.
The public prosecution has declared that investigations into Olmert’s alleged involvement in graft cases would last for months.
Olmert’s cabinet is supported by 67 members of the 120-seat Knesset, including 19 Labor deputies and 12 from the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party.