Thursday night’s anti-government demonstration in Tel Aviv will not force Ehud Olmert to resign, an aide to the Israeli prime minister said.
Police estimated that 150,000 people converged Thursday on Rabin Square to call for Olmert to step down after his handling of last year’s Lebanon war was faulted by a commission of inquiry.
Tal Zilberstein, an Olmert adviser, said the prime minister was firm in his decision to stay on.
“It’s a legitimate, democratic demonstration,” Zilberstein told Israel Radio. “The prime minister takes the criticism seriously.” But he added that the rally would not prompt Olmert to “think he has to vacate his post and stop implementing the lessons of the Winograd Commission.”
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