Parliament may be dissolved

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s main coalition partner decided to support a bill to dissolve parliament, which could paralyze the government and force early elections.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak, head of the Labor Party, said he was “very satisfied with the decision” by his faction to vote in favor of the motion, scheduled to take place Wednesday.

Olmert has vowed to stay in office and continue to lead his Kadima party unless indicted in a corruption investigation that has prompted calls for his resignation.

He has denied wrongdoing in the case, in which a New York-based financier testified that he gave $150,000 to the Israeli leader while he held previous public positions.