Barak Declares to Resign, Netanyahu to Announce Plans to Run for Premiership

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak Announced Resignation

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Israeli former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who returns Sunday from the United States, plans to announce that he wants to run for premiership, Israel Radio reported Sunday, December 10.

Netanyahu, said the report, plans to initiate a public battle against the clause in the direct elections law, which stipulates that only a serving member of Knesset (parliament) can run for the premiership in the event elections are precipitated by the resignation of the incumbent prime minister.

Netanyahu, the former leader of the hardline Likud party, resigned as chairman and from Knesset after Labor Party leader Ehud Barak triumphed over him in the May 1999 elections.

Analysts say there are now two avenues open to Netanyahu, whereby he can try and force his way into the race for prime minister.

Firstly, if the no-confidence motion against Barak is approved in the Knesset voting on Monday before Barak's resignation goes into effect on Tuesday, a two-vote election for prime minister and parliament should be held within 90 days.

Secondly, the parliament passes legislation altering the clause in the direct elections law confining the race to Knesset membership in the event a prime minister resigns.

Barak announced in surprise Saturday night that he would submit his letter of resignation to the president on Sunday, and called on the people to give him a new mandate to lead the nation toward peace.

The move triggered a snap election for the premiership within 60 days.

Barak Declares to Resign

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak announced his resignation Saturday, December 9.

In a televised address, Barak said that the Resignation will take effect Sunday.

At a dramatic press conference at his office in Jerusalem, he said that new election for the prime minister only, instead of parliamentary and prime ministerial two-vote general elections, will be held with 60 days.

In an improvisational-arranged address to Israeli people, Barak stunned the audience by saying that he will leave the post he took over one and a half years ago.