Israeli Prime Minister to resign!

Shadowed by corruption allegations, Ehud Olmert announces he will not run in September election

JERUSALEM, Israel - July 30, 2008 - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, facing corruption allegations and plummeting approval ratings, announced Wednesday he will resign in September. The move threw his country into political turmoil and raised doubts about progress for U.S.-backed Mideast peace efforts.

Appearing angry and reading from a prepared text, Olmert made the brief statement at his official Jerusalem residence where he harshly criticized the corruption investigations against him. He said he was choosing the public good over his personal justice.

"I was forced to defend myself against relentless attacks from self-appointed 'fighters for justice' who sought to depose me from my position, when the ends sanctified all the means," he said. Olmert has consistently denied wrongdoing but pledged to resign if charged with corruption.

Olmert's term was to end in 2010 but he said he would not run in his party's primary election, set for Sept. 17, and would step down afterward "in order to allow the chairman to be elected and form a different government quickly and efficiently." He did not answer questions from reporters.