BEIJING, May 2 -- The Israeli Prime Minister has continued with work as usual, despite widespread calls for his resignation.

    Ehud Olmert is under pressure to step down, after the release of a report severely criticizing his conduct during Israel's war last year in Lebanon. Tuesday's resignation of a cabinet minister has dealt another blow to Olmert's administration. 

    Olmert has declared he will not quit despite the inquiry's conclusion that he showed flawed judgment in ordering and directing the war in Lebanon. On Tuesday morning, he appointed a new chief of police, Dudi Cohen, at his office in Jerusalem.

    Monday's report by the Winograd Commission listed severe failings on the part of Olmert and his cabinet. Even though it stopped short of recommending that Olmert step down, the report said the Prime Minister should bear responsibility for launching the war against Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon.

    The resignation of a junior minister from the Labor Party dealt another blow to Olmert on Tuesday. Eitan Cabel resigned from the Cabinet to protest against the government's failure in the war. And he's called on the Prime Minister to follow his example.

    "Ehud Olmert was clearly responsible for the war failures according to the committee. Ehud Olmert must resign. He must bear responsibility, responsibility he cannot share with others. I can no longer sit in a government led by Ehud Olmert," says Eitan Cabel, former cabinet minister.

    But for now at least, Olmert's job seems secure. Despite the public uproar, he remains at the head of a broad coalition government with the Kadima and Labor parties.

    Olmert confidants say only mass protests or an uprising within his Kadima Party can force the Prime Minister out of office.

    There were no protests outside Olmert's office on Tuesday, but demonstrators from across the country are expected to rally later in the day. They'll walk to Tel Aviv, where a mass demonstration by opponents is scheduled for Thursday.

Related:

Israeli PM to struggle for coalition stability

    JERUSALEM, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will hold a series of meetings with his coalition partners in an effort to stabilize the government following harsh criticism by a Lebanon war report, local daily Ha'aretz reported on Tuesday.

    Olmert will meet Shas Chairman Eli Yishai, Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman and Pensioners' Party Chairman Rafi Eitan on Tuesday afternoon to garner their supports to preserve the government's stability, the report said.  Full story

Israeli PM likely to survive panel's accusation

    JERUSALEM, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert still sees a chance of survival with backing from the ruling coalition, despite a scathing government inquiry report, which blamed him for launching a war with the Lebanese Hezbollah group without sufficient deliberation. 

    The report, presented on Monday by retired judge Eliyahu Winograd, head of the government-appointed inquiry committee, accused Olmert, Defense Minister Amir Peretz, and former Chief of Staff Dan Halutz of failing in their roles in the war last summer.  Full story

Israeli PM refuses to resign after war criticism

    JERUSALEM, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Monday that he would not resign despite a penal report blaming him for launching last summer's war with Lebanese Hezbollah without sufficient deliberation.

    In the wake of the scathing Winograd Committee interim report, Prime Minister Olmert vowed in a special TV address that he will not resign despite the report's harsh conclusions, local newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported. Full story

    (Source: cctv.com)