President Shimon Peres on Sunday evening, after accepting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s resignation, used the opportunity to praise Olmert “for the respectable fashion in which he opted to step down.”

The president did not suffice with the praise, but went on to thank him for his years of service, citing his tenure as a government minister and mayor of Yerushalayim, devoting decades to public service.

Mr. Peres explained he remains committed to meet with party leaders in the hope of expediting the process towards the establishment of a new coalition.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)