Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert signalled today he has no intention of stepping down, despite an official inquiry that held his government and military responsible for the failures of Israel's 2006 war against Lebanon s Hezbollah guerrillas.

Polls show most Israelis want Olmert to resign, and a hard-line opposition leader issued a strongly worded demand that he leave office. But Olmert s hold on power appeared firm, giving him some room to pursue a peace treaty with the Palestinians, as he promised US President George W Bush.
His main coalition partner, Labour, is unlikely to pull out, because the polls show if elections were held now, the dovish Labour would lose strength along with Olmert s centrist Kadima, handing victory to the hawkish Benjamin Netanyahu s Likud.

Israel's raucous political arena was ablaze today, a day after the Winograd Commission issued its final report, pointing to "serious failings and shortcomings in the decision-making processes and staff work in the political and the military levels" in the 34-day conflict. With the outbreak of hostilities in July 2006,Olmert pledged to bring home two captured soldiers and crush Hezbollah, but neither goal was accomplished.

Netanyahu summoned reporters today to demand Olmert s resignation. "He refuses to take responsibility, he refuses to display personal integrity or leadership and refuses to do what the overwhelming majority of the public expect him to do," Netanyahu said, calling Olmert s government "amateur."

A survey published today by the Maagar Mohot agency found 60 per cent of Israelis thought Olmert should resign, while only 19 per cent thought he should remain in office. The poll questioned 474 Israelis and had a margin of error of 4.5 percentage points.

Source : PTI