Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Wednesday afternoon that she has already told Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that his resignation is the right thing to do.

Livni made the call at a press conference in Jerusalem after her an hour-long meeting with Olmert over a critical report on his handling of last year's Israeli-Hezbollah war.

Livni told the reporters that "I told the prime minister in private talks that resignation would be the right thing."

The public has lost faith in the government. We must restore it immediately," she added.

Livni said that she wasn't engaged in any attempts to oust Olmert, adding that she herself would not resign.

The ruling Kadima party should hold primary elections to elect a new leader to replace Olmert, she said, declaring that she intended to run for Kadima leadership.

The foreign minister stated that general elections would hinder Israel's stability and should be avoided, expressing her belief that Kadima will continue to lead the state of Israel.

An Israeli governmental investigative panel, headed by retired judge Eliyahu Winograd, released an interim report probing the shortcomings in the Second Lebanon War on Monday which accuses Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Amir Peretz, and former Chief of Staff Dan Halutz of failing in their roles.

In a televised address to the nation following the release of the Winograd report, Olmert insisted that he will not step down.

Source: Xinhua