Israel premier urged to step down

A US businessman may have succeeded in toppling Olmert, as he is the key prosecution witness in the latest corruption case against the Prime Minister. The businessman claims he gave Olmert envelopes stuffed with tens of thousands of dollars and he says Olmert used the money for vacations and loan payments. Olmert says he used the money as campaign funds. Today Olmert’s Defense Minister demanded Olmert step down one way or another. He called on Olmert’s party, Kadimah, to pull him. Analysts say it’s only a matter of time before Olmert has to step down. But that’s not the word from Olmert. Still the jockeying for Olmert’s job have begun, and this analyst says a number of people from his own Kadimah Party are lobbying for the job, and are hoping to avoid elections, but Netanyahu, the head of the Likuud Party, is calling for elections. Netanyahu has already been Prime Minister once before and polls suggest his rightist party would win in an election. Olmert has said he plans to fight any charges.