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![The fact that Livni, left, spoke out, may suggest that a deal is being made to make her prime minister [AFP]](http://mwcnews.net/images/stories/Israel/1/2/3/4/5/Livni-B2.jpg "The fact that Livni, left, spoke out, may suggest that a deal is being made to make her prime minister [AFP]") | | The fact that Livni, left, spoke out, may suggest that a deal is being made to make her prime minister [AFP] |
Tzip Livni, Israel's foreign minister, has said her party must be ready to replace Ehud Olmert as prime minister.
Her comments have added to growing calls for Olmert to step down amid allegations of corruption involving loans of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Livni said Kadima should "take decisions" and start preparing for "any scenario", including an early general election and an internal leadership vote.
'Values and norms'
Widely regarded as a candidate to replace Olmert, Livni did not call for Olmert to step down but said "values and norms" must be upheld in Israeli politics. Barak, however, said on Wednesday that he would force the issue if Olmert failed to act.
"The prime minister has to make decisions. Factions have to make decisions, and if they don't, we will make the decisions for them," said Barak, whose Labour party is Olmert's largest coalition partner.
"I do not think the prime minister can run, in parallel, the government and deal with his own personal affairs," Barak said.
"Out of a sense of what is good for the country ... I think the prime minister must disconnect himself from the daily running of the government."
But Olmert's aide, Tal Silberstein, said: "The prime minister was not considering resigning, nor taking a leave of absence."
Early election
Barak also threatened on Wednesday to pursue an early election, after a US businessman told an Israeli court he had handed Olmert envelopes with thousands of dollars in cash. But Barak, a former prime minister, stopped short of making a move that would immediately bring down the government and trigger a snap election.
Menachem Mazuz, Israel's attorney-general, convened prosecutors and police officers on Thursday to discuss the way forward in the investigation against Olmert.
Mazuz issued a statement after the meeting saying the investigation would be speeded up "in order to complete it as soon as possible", but gave no precise timeframe.
Olmert pledged to resign if charged and denied any wrongdoing in accepting what he has described as above-board election campaign contributions.
Polls suggest the right-wing Likud party, under Benjamin Netanyahu, would defeat Labour if a vote, not due until 2010, were held now.
Heavy spending The American Jewish businessman at the centre of the case, Morris Talansky, is due back in Israel in July when he will be cross-examined by Olmert's lawyers.
Talansky told the Jerusalem District Court on Tuesday that he had loaned Olmert hundreds of thousands of dollars to cover the Israeli leader's political activities over a 15-year period.
In his testimony, Talansky said he had been asked to pick up a $4,700 bill from a three-day stay by Olmert at a New York hotel.
Talansky also said that he loaned Olmert as much as $30,000 for a holiday in Italy.
Olmert, who has denied any wrongdoing, has acknowledged receiving money from Talansky, but said the funds were legal election campaign contributions.
Moshe Lador, the chief prosecutor in the case, said after Talansky testified on Tuesday it was too early to tell if charges would be brought against Olmert.
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Tags: Livni Olmert
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