Israel's opposition Likud Party on Wednesday challenged the new head of the coalition Labor Party to topple the government of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and bring about early elections.
Former prime minister Ehud Barak won Tuesday's Labor Party primaries by a slim margin over retired Navy admiral Ami Ayalon.
Both Barak and Ayalon promised supporters they would pull Labor out of any government headed by Olmert, a move that would leave the prime minister at the head of a minority coalition and significantly increase the likelihood of early elections.
Every poll conducted over the past six months shows that if elections are held now or in the near future, Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud Party can be expected to sweep to power.