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| Israelis call on Olmert to resign | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Tens of thousands of Israelis have rallied in Tel Aviv, calling for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to quit over his handling of last year's Lebanon war. | Tens of thousands of Israelis have rallied in Tel Aviv, calling for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to quit over his handling of last year's Lebanon war. |
| Demonstrators filled Rabin Square three days after an official interim report sharply criticised Mr Olmert's role in launching and running the war. | Demonstrators filled Rabin Square three days after an official interim report sharply criticised Mr Olmert's role in launching and running the war. |
| Followers of political parties from across Israel's often bitter political divides were present at the rally. | Followers of political parties from across Israel's often bitter political divides were present at the rally. |
| Mr Olmert says he will stay in office and implement the report's proposals. | Mr Olmert says he will stay in office and implement the report's proposals. |
| But on stage in Tel Aviv a large banner carried a message directly aimed at the country's leaders: "You failed, go home." | But on stage in Tel Aviv a large banner carried a message directly aimed at the country's leaders: "You failed, go home." |
| They were elected to bring hope and all they brought is disappointment Shevah SalnerProtester class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6622093.stm">Rally a 'wake-up call' | |
| Organisers, who said 100,000 protesters were at the event, banned politicians from taking to the stage, but said politicians from all parties were welcome in the crowd. | Organisers, who said 100,000 protesters were at the event, banned politicians from taking to the stage, but said politicians from all parties were welcome in the crowd. |
| "There are no politicians here, but this is a political event," said Uzi Dayan, a retired general and one of the organisers. | "There are no politicians here, but this is a political event," said Uzi Dayan, a retired general and one of the organisers. |
| Olmert 'weak' | Olmert 'weak' |
| Many people in the crowd made clear the widespread anger at the government's handling of the 34-day conflict with Hezbollah militants. | Many people in the crowd made clear the widespread anger at the government's handling of the 34-day conflict with Hezbollah militants. |
| "All this government needs to go - including Prime Minister Ehud Olmert," one protester, Shevah Salner, told the BBC in the square. | "All this government needs to go - including Prime Minister Ehud Olmert," one protester, Shevah Salner, told the BBC in the square. |
| Views from Tel Aviv protestersIn pictures "They were elected to bring hope and all they brought is disappointment." | Views from Tel Aviv protestersIn pictures "They were elected to bring hope and all they brought is disappointment." |
| The prime minister's aides say he will not be moved by opinion polls or rallies, the BBC's Tim Franks reports from Tel Aviv. | The prime minister's aides say he will not be moved by opinion polls or rallies, the BBC's Tim Franks reports from Tel Aviv. |
| There are some who say Mr Olmert can draw strength from the fact he remains in office today, our correspondent says. | There are some who say Mr Olmert can draw strength from the fact he remains in office today, our correspondent says. |
| But, he adds, the Israeli prime minister's position does remain weak. | But, he adds, the Israeli prime minister's position does remain weak. |
| Edan Mehallel, 16, from the northern city of Haifa, told the Associated Press he lived through Hezbollah rocket attacks and had come to make a difference. | Edan Mehallel, 16, from the northern city of Haifa, told the Associated Press he lived through Hezbollah rocket attacks and had come to make a difference. |
| "The more people there are, the more influence the demonstration will have," he said. | "The more people there are, the more influence the demonstration will have," he said. |
| Knesset support | Knesset support |
| Earlier, Israel's parliament, the Knesset, held an extraordinary session to debate the report's findings. | Earlier, Israel's parliament, the Knesset, held an extraordinary session to debate the report's findings. |
| Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu called for Mr Olmert to resign, but Kadima MPs backed the prime minister and a vote of no-confidence was not held. | Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu called for Mr Olmert to resign, but Kadima MPs backed the prime minister and a vote of no-confidence was not held. |
| The report, issued after a six-month investigation led by retired judge Eliahu Winograd, accused Mr Olmert of "serious failure in exercising judgement, responsibility and prudence". | The report, issued after a six-month investigation led by retired judge Eliahu Winograd, accused Mr Olmert of "serious failure in exercising judgement, responsibility and prudence". |
| On Wednesday Mr Olmert's own Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni, called for the prime minister to resign, offering to stand as his replacement. | On Wednesday Mr Olmert's own Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni, called for the prime minister to resign, offering to stand as his replacement. |
| Defence Minister Amir Peretz and the former military Chief of Staff Dan Halutz were also heavily criticised by the report. | Defence Minister Amir Peretz and the former military Chief of Staff Dan Halutz were also heavily criticised by the report. |
| The inquiry, commissioned by Mr Olmert, did not explicitly call for resignations. | The inquiry, commissioned by Mr Olmert, did not explicitly call for resignations. |