Senior sources in Kadima saidWednesday that the Prime Minister Ehud Olmert wasvery much aware of the political crisis enveloping his government following his investigation andthat he is seriously considering stepping down, increasing the prospects for general elections by the end of 2008.
Should Olmert resign ,said senior sources in the political area, there is a greater chance of the Knesset dispersing than there is of a transitional government taking over. Several Kadima members have already begun preparing for primaries to take place as soon as September.
Ynet has learned that senior members of the various political parties have met, trying to agree on an election date, most likely in November. Should that be the case, the municipal elections scheduled for November would be postponed.
The need to hold general elections seems to be the consensus: A source in Shas toldYnet that the party "Believes we will have an election in November and is preparing for it." The party is said to prefer that option to the possibility of a transitional government.
MK Eitan Cabel (Labor )told Ynet he "believes things will be clearer in a couple of weeks, but my gut tells me we'll have no choice by to proceed with the elections."
MK Gideon Sa'ar, chairman of the Likud factionreiterates: "We are all for a general elections by the end of the year," he said.
The only party not talking about the nearly-definite possibility of elections is Kadima. MK Yoel Hasson said Wednesday that should Olmert be indicted and choose to resign there is a possibility of transitional government or the possibility of an election, which I don't think should take place before March of 2009."
Amnon Meranda contributed to this report