Olmert formally submits his resignation to Peres

Olmert formally submits his resignation to Peres

By Mazal Mualem, Shahar Ilan and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents, and The Associated Press

Outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert arrived at the President's residence in Jerusalem Sunday evening to formally submit his resignation to President Shimon Peres after almost 33 months in office. Olmert earlier announced his decision to step down at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting, held in Jerusalem. Following the formal resignation, Olmert's cabinet becomes an interim government, and Peres was to begin a round of consultations with all the Knesset factions later Sunday in efforts to establish a new coalition.
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Peres was scheduled to meet with Kadima faction chair Yoel Hasson, Labor's Eitan Cabel, Likud's Gideon Sa'ar and Shas' Yakov Margi. Each MK will be given 45 minutes to recommend to the president a candidate who would be best suited to establish a coalition. Though it is not certain, Peres is expected to task Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who succeeded Olmert in his post as Kadima Party chair in a primary held last week, with establishing the coalition. Peres convened a press conference at his residence following Olmert's visit, and thanked the outgoing premier for his "contribution to the people and the sate during so many years of public service ? as mayor of Jerusalem, a minister in Israel's government and as prime minister."

Para segui leyendo: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1023052.html