By Stan Goodenough
Israeli lawmakers and others across the political spectrum are demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert after police revealed Thursday he is under investigation for allegedly receiving large amounts of cash in bribes.
Responses have ranged from outrage at the fact that Olmert is undergoing yet another criminal probe - his fifth since taking office - to the conviction that he is paying the price for pushing ahead with plans to divide the Land of Israel and give half to the Palestinian Arabs.
The Labor Party, the largest coalition partner after Olmert's Kadima Party, has said it will remain in the government for now and "see what happens."
While a number of Kadima officials have indicated that it will be difficult for them to remain supportive of Olmert, they were not jumping ship just yet.
A Knesset Member in the opposition Likud Party, MK Gideon Sa'ar, described Olmert as "unworthy" and not fit to continue as prime minister. "The Kadima government is up to their necks in investigations of corruptions and is failing to run the state properly," he charged. Israel is demanding that elections be held, so that the people can "choose a different leadership."
Right wing MK Arieh Eldad said Israel "cannot afford to be led by officials who accept bribes."
"Israel cannot afford to have these leaders take the country on questionable diplomatic adventures in order to escape punishment," he added
Political reporters and analysts - a number of whom describe this investigation as the most serious potential scandal yet to beset the prime minister - were Friday airing various scenarios that could unfold should Olmert be forced to "go home."
While many Israelis, especially those who oppose Olmert's land-for-peace policies, would like to see early elections, these would require the vote of a majority of Knesset Members, most of whom are believed to be unwilling to risk losing their seats.
More likely, according to Ynetnews, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni would become prime minister, possibly for the duration of the current administration's four year term.
Livni has fully cooperated with the US administration in its pursuit of a "two state solution" that will see the creation of a terrorist entity called Palestine on the biblical heartland of the Jewish state.
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