Prime Minister Olmert
Photo: Gil Yohanan
MK Zahava Gal-On
Photo: Gil Yochanan
Knesset decrees: After Winograd report Olmert will face music
50 MKs, both right-wing and left, sign petition demanding special Knesset session deliberating Winograd findings. ‘Olmert mustn’t continue to evade responsibility,’ say lawmakers
The ink on the Winograd Commission report
is barely dry, but MKs are already preparing an attack on Prime minister Ehud Olmert in its wake.
On Sunday, 50 Knesset members signed a petition demanding a special Knesset session with the participation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in order to deliberate the findings of the Winograd Commission. According to Basic Law: The Government, the Knesset “may, at the request of at least 40 of its members, conduct a session with the participation of the prime minister, pertaining to a topic decided upon.”
The aforementioned petition was spearheaded by Meretz faction chairwoman MK Zahava Gal-On, MK Gideon Sa'ar, chairman of the Likud faction, MK Ophir Pines-Paz (Labor), and MK Avigdor Itzchaky (Kadima).
“The Knesset cannot allow Prime minister Olmert to continue evading responsibility for the failures of the Second Lebanon War, especially in light of his statement last week that he will not resign irrespective of the Winograd findings,” said MK Sa’ar.
Several members of Olmert’s own government have also signed the petition calling for a special Knesset meeting, including Labor faction chairman MK Eitan Cabel, MK Colette Avital, MK Shelly Yacimovich, MK Marina Solodkin (of Kadima) MK Danny Yatom, MK Moshe Sharoni(of the Pensioners Party), and MK Israel Hasson (Yisrael Beiteinu).
"I signed the petition because I feel it is the Knesset’s duty to publicly seek solutions for the failures of the Second Lebanon War, and address the issues unearthed by the Winograd report,” said MK Hasson.
A similar Knesset meeting was held after the Winograd Commission published its interim report.
