First crack in Olmert coalition after war inquiry

By Jeffrey Heller

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A member of Ehud Olmert's cabinet quit on Tuesday, opening the first crack in Israel's government after the prime minister vowed to ride out a scathing reprimand by an inquiry into last year's costly Lebanon war.

Eitan Cabel, a minister without portfolio from the Israeli leader's main governing partner, the Labour Party, told a news conference: "I can no longer sit in a government headed by Ehud Olmert."

Cabel said Olmert "must resign" after a commission probing the inconclusive war against Hezbollah fighters listed on Monday severe failings on the part of the premier, Defence Minister Amir Peretz of Labour and the army chief, who has already quit.

Opposition politicians were also vocal in their demands for Olmert to step down. Newspaper headlines spoke of a "noose tightening around his neck" and a "gun to his head".

However, few in the governing coalition seemed ready to face a new election and none of Olmert's rivals within his Kadima party has moved publicly against him.

"I stand behind Olmert's leadership," Public Security Minister Avi Dichter of Kadima said at a ceremony attended by Olmert, welcoming Israel's new police chief.

Olmert -- the focus of several corruption investigations -- spoke in soft tones at the event about the need for police to probe suspected crime by public officials, and avoided any mention of the war inquiry. He appeared confident and smiled.

The Winograd commission said the cabinet rubber-stamped the decision to go to war but Olmert bore "supreme responsibility" for launching the air, sea and land assaults without a proper plan after Hezbollah seized two Israeli soldiers on July 12.