Anti-Olmert rally
Photo: AP
PM Olmert
Photo: AP
Olmert says won't resign despite public protest
Following demonstration attended by 100,000 people against Olmert in Tel Aviv's Rabin Square Thursday evening, prime minister insists he plans to stay in office; 'A government is replaced in elections, not rallies,' his associates say
"I won’t resign, I will stay on and correct the failures," Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
told his associates Thursday following the mass rally in Tel Aviv calling on him to step down.
A source close to the prime minister said, "We estimated that there would be a big and significant rally after the publication of the Winograd report, but 100,000 people will not decide the fate of the State of Israel.
Protest
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"Such a demonstration does not replace or topple a government in Israel. a government is replaced in elections, not rallies," he added.
Olmert's associates also claimed that the rally's organizer, Uzi Dayan, had a clear political interest to bring down the government.
"It should be kept in mind that the man behind the demonstration is a political figure, who heads a political party that plans to run in the next elections," they said.
Rabin Square rally (Photo: AFP)
The Prime Minister's Office watched the rally closely Thursday night, and sources at the office said that according to their reports, the number of participants at the event was lower than100,000.
"Every protester is an Israeli citizen who is expressing his opinions in a legitimate and democratic manner, and we respect the right to demonstrate," PMO officials said.
"We realize that the people are concerned following the report, and this is legitimate, but the people also understand that a resignation and new elections are not the right and desired move to take at the moment," they concluded.
Yuval Karni and Itamar Eichner contributed to the report
