Livni: I'm not part of campaign to dismiss Olmert
Foreign minister meets with representatives of Second Lebanon War's bereaved families, reservists, but makes clear meeting must not be misinterpreted to imply she supports their struggle against prime minister
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni met Sunday with reservists who fought in the Second Lebanon War and bereaved parents who lost their sons in the war, but made clear to them that the meeting should not be considered as part of their battle against the prime minister.
The reservists and families' representatives are currently running a public campaign calling for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's dismissal from office following the publication of the Winograd Report on the war.
"I am not participating in this meeting as part of the campaign some of you are conducting," Livni stressed.
The minister's associates said that the conversation focused on values and on the soldiers' and parents' personal stories.
"You asked for this meeting. It is important that you make yourself heard, and I am interested to listen," Livni said. "I think that this meeting has been misinterpreted," she added, in a bid to discard any political meanings attributed to the meet.
'Livni knows meaning of leadership, responsibility'
David Einhorn, who lost his son in the war, said he believed that the conversation has left an impression on Livni and that it would "help her make the right decision."She realized the scope of the crisis of confidence we are experiencing. We did not get into political considerations or talk about alternatives to Olmert. We asked her to read the report through, and it's clear to us that once she reads it, she will draw the conclusions and act courageously, as she did by meeting us today and as she had acted after the release of the partial war report."
Tomer Buhadana, who was wounded in the war and also took part in the meeting, added, "We felt we are talking to someone who understands what leadership and responsibility mean. I want to believe that she will make the right decisions for the sake of the country and the norms that should be rooted in Israeli society."
Earlier Sunday, the reservists and families met with National Infrastructure Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, who told them that if the Winograd Report's conclusions are indeed harsh, the Labor Party would seek the prime minister's replacement, or act to push up the elections.
