Protesters in Israel call for resignation of Prime Minister

May 4, 2007

Protesters in Israel have called for the resignation of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the Defense Minister Amir Peretz after the government issued a report on the first 6 days of the recent conflict with Lebanon saying that Israel was too "hasty" in the decisions the government made during the conflict which began on July 12, 2006.

"Olmert and Peretz, we have received confirmation that both of you came to power in the wrong positions. You can't handle the position, you failed. Go home. You said you worked for us. You are fired," said Meir Shalev, the designated speaker for the protest.

Despite the calls for Olmert and Peretz to resign, Tal Zilberstein, an advisor for Olmert, said that the protest will not get the Prime Minister to resign.

Organizers of the rally say that at least 200,000 protesters attended. Police; however, say that only 120,000 people were at the rally.