Israeli cabinet held a special session Thursday morning chaired by
acting premier Ehud Olmert.
The meeting was held as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was battling
for his life in a Jerusalem hospital after suffered a massive brain
haemorrhage overnight.
Olmert, deputy prime minister and finance minister, was made
acting premier after Sharon has been in the hospital to undergo
surgery from which medical experts have warned he may not
recover.
Election to be held on schedule
Olmert said the general elections will be held as scheduled on
March 28 despite of Sharon remaining in critical conditions.
"Israel's strength will allow it to face the situation," he
said. "We will carry on running the country and pray for good news
from hospital."
"This is a difficult situation which we are not accustomed to.
Ariel is not only the prime minister and a leader, but a close
friend to all of us," Olmert told the ministers.
Sharon, 77, was rushed to Jerusalem's Hadassah Hospital on
Wednesday night after he suffered a serious stroke.
The prime minister has been moved into the intensive care unit
for at least 24 hours of deep sedation after undergoing surgeries
that had stopped the massive cerebral bleeding.
Following the short meeting, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni told
reporters that "the message the cabinet is sending is that the
government is functioning."
"I will do everything in my power to help the interim prime
minister lead the government and reach the right decisions, and I
am sure the other ministers will do the same," Livni said.
Transportation Minister Meir Sheetrit said after the meeting
that the "government is continuing to work normally, with only a
change in personnel."
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz told Israel Radio that the defense
establishment will continue functioning as usual in the face of
deepening chaos in the Gaza Strip.
Prior to the emergency cabinet meeting, Likud party Chairman
Benjamin Netanyahu decided to postpone the planned resignation of
his party's ministers from government in light of Sharon's
condition.
Aides to Netanyahu said the newly elected Likud chief would
support Olmert's leadership and remain in government, thus
contributing to the sense of political stability.
(Xinhua News Agency January 6, 2006)
