JERUSALEM — Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Thursday called on the country’s prime minister to step down immediately in light of growing signs that he will soon be indicted on corruption charges.
The announcement came a day after Israel’s attorney general said he was considering filing charges against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for allegedly double billing Jewish groups for trips abroad.
He wants Olmert to appear at a special hearing before making a final decision whether to prosecute and put Olmert on trial.
Olmert has already said that he will step down after elections scheduled in February. But at a meeting of the ruling Kadima Party on Thursday, Livni said he should go before that. His departure would clear the way for Livni to become acting prime minister until the election.
Olmert’s office did not react but has said that the prime minister plans to stay in office until the elections.
