Israel FM wins vote to succeed Olmert: exit polls

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni won a Kadima party leadership vote on Wednesday, putting her on track to succeed scandal-plagued Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as head of the government, exit polls showed.

The polls from three different television stations showed her taking between 47 and 49 percent of the vote, well above the 40 she needed to avoid going to a run-off election against Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz who trailed by at least 10 points.

Livni, who has been leading U.S.-backed negotiations with the Palestinians, would have 42 days to form a government if she hopes to avert snap elections that polls say would bring the right-wing Likud party to power.

Polling ahead of the election had showed Livni, already regarded as Israel's most powerful woman, as the front-runner, followed by Mofaz, a hawkish former general, and two other ministers who trailed far behind.

The election, though decisive, looks unlikely to end the political turmoil brought on by graft accusations against Olmert, as it remains uncertain whether Livni will be able to form a government and take over the premiership.

The political turbulence further dims chances of reaching a Middle East peace deal by the end of the year, a goal Olmert and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas had set at a U.S. conference that relaunched talks last November.

Olmert, who announced on July 30 that he would step down once his Kadima party has picked a new leader, has faced public uproar over a string of corruption investigations that could lead to criminal charges against him.

Palestinian reactions

Palestinians expressed hope Wednesday that the next Israeli prime minister will continue peace talks after Israel's Kadima party voted to replace embattled premier Ehud Olmert.

Senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat told AFP the Kadima vote was an "internal Israeli affair" but said he hoped the next premier would take steps to withdraw Israeli settlers from the occupied West Bank.

"We hope there will be comprehensive and serioU.S. negotiations and that the Israeli voter will choose the removal of the settlements and the wall and strong cooperation with a Palestinian partner," he said.

"The only choice is to end the Israeli occupation."