Olmert won't fire Livni – if she falls in line
In response to Foreign Minister's recent statement that PM should resign following Winograd report, Olmert still seems inclined to keep Livni on board
After a number of consultations Thursday night, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert appears willing to keep Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in her current position, as long as she falls into line.
Olmert held several meetings with his associates Thursday, at which time he discussed the pros and cons of firing Livni after she went on the record as saying that the prime minister should resign following the findings of the Winograd commission.
He also considered the option of replacing her with Shaul Mofaz in her capacity as second-in-line in the governmental chain of command.
Most of the prime minister's associates felt that, in the interest of solidarity, Livni should not be fired but, rather, should be incorporated into the government's efforts to fix the mistakes uncovered by the Winograd commission report.
Livni herself revealed that, in recent days, she had considered resigning, but had decided that it was a more productive move to remain foreign minister.
Senior government sources said "Olmert is leaning towards not firing the foreign minister. Nonetheless, such a move (by Livni) requires that the two get on the same page.
"Livni cannot represent Olmert's policy to the world at a time when she is calling him to step down. How could she continue to represent his current policy in such a situation?"
Olmert's subordinates will try to initiate a meeting between the two in order to coordinate continued cooperation and, specifically, a unified front.
In addition to his troubles with Livni, Olmert also had to deal with the mass rally Thursday night in Tel Aviv, during which protestors - like Livni before them - called on him to resign.
In response, the prime minister said "the protestors were citizens who were behaving in a legitimate and democratic manner. I appreciate that citizens behaved legitimately and democratically, without needless violence."
