JERUSALEM, May 1 (Xinhua) -- No secret talks have
been held by Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni to discuss a possibility of
replacing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, local newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported
Tuesday evening.
Sources in Livni's office clarified that the foreign
minister is not behind any move to oust Olmert, denied some reports that she was
planning to work to replace the prime minister who was severely spanked by the
Winograd Committee for failures in last summer's Lebanon War.
Livni is expected to break her silence on Wednesday
to publicly address the Winograd Committee's report, said the sources.
A penal led by retired judge Eliyahu Winograd
formally presented the interim report on last summer's Lebanon War which blamed
Olmert, Defense Minister Amir Peretz and former Israel Defense Forces (IDF)
Chief of Staff Dan Halutz for failing in their roles during the Israel-Hezbollah
conflict.
Sources in Kadima estimated that Livni would not
ignore the severe conclusions against the prime minister over his conduct during
the Lebanon War, but would nonetheless convey a message of unity.
Earlier, sources in the prime minister's office
accused Livni of secretly meeting with Kadima officials to discuss an option of
replacing Olmert.
They asserted that Livni was looking into the
possibility of bringing Olmert down and holding new elections, or replacing
himin the current Knesset (Parliament).
Israel's Channel 10 television reported Livni told
her aides on Tuesday that "Olmert must go."
Meanwhile, coalition Chairman Avigdor Yitzhaki said
on Tuesday that he will call on Prime Minister Olmert to resign during a meeting
of the Kadima faction on Thursday.
Sources in Kadima said on Tuesday that Yitzhaki is
gathering signatures for a letter he will present to Olmert on Thursday, asking
him to resign in response to the Winograd Committee's scathing report.
In a televised address to the nation following the
release of the Winograd report on Monday, Olmert insisted that he would not step
down.
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