Dr. Aaron Lerner Date: 18 September 2008

Israel Radio broadcast the following clarification in its hourly news
bulletin at 6 PM:

"Our state affairs correspondent Shmuel Tal notes that on Wednesday [AL: 24
September] Olmert will convene the Security Cabinet. He will continue to
convene the Government until a different government is formed."

It would appear from Tal's report that he may have infomation that Ehud
Olmert does not intend to exercise 16(b) of Basic Law: The Government, in
tandem with resigning under 19 of the same law. There is nothing in the law
preventing Olmert from causing Livni to immediately be prime minister by
both resigning and stating that he is temporarily unable to discharge his
duties.

The following is the relevant law:

Basic Law: The Government (2001)
www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/2000_2009/2001/3/Basic%20Law-%20The%20Government%20-2001-

16. (b) Should the Prime Minister be temporarily unable to discharge his
duties, his place will be filled by the Acting Prime Minister. After the
passage of 100 days upon which the Prime Minister does not resume his
duties, the Prime Minister will be deemed permanently unable to exercise his
office.
...
19. The Prime Minister may, after notifying the Government of his intention
to do so, resign by submitting a letter of resignation to the President of
the State. The resignation of the Prime Minister shall be deemed to be the
resignation of the Government.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(Mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
Website: http://www.imra.org.il