TEL AVIV, May 28 (RIA Novosti) - Israel's defense minister has urged the country's prime minister, Ehud Olmert, to step down after a U.S. businessman told an Israeli court that he had paid the premier around $150,000.
Ehud Barak said on national TV Wednesday that if Olmert did not step down, then his Labor Party would withdraw from the political coalition forcing early elections.
Morris Talansky testified in court Tuesday that he had given Olmert $150,000 over a 15 year period, which he said the prime minister had spent on luxury hotels and expensive gifts. Olmert admitted receiving money from the businessman, but said it was to fund his election campaign.
Olmert has denied corruption and said he will resign if he is found guilty.
Barak said he believed it was impossible for Olmert to run the government and "deal with his own personal affair."
"The prime minister needs to disconnect himself from the day-to-day management of the government," he said, adding that Olmert should either suspend himself from duties, take a vacation or resign.
The ongoing political crisis in Israel, which could result in the Cabinet's resignation en bloc and early elections, would damage Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was quoted as saying.
"What is happening in Israel is Israel's internal affair. But we are interested in a prime minister capable of continuing the peace process. The ongoing [crisis] will without doubt have an adverse impact on the course of negotiations," an Abbas spokesman said.
