Jerusalem - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told his cabinet Sunday that he intends to resign the premiership, following the election of Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni as the new leader of his ruling Kadima Party.

The decision to quit was neither a simple nor an easy one, Israel Radio quoted him as telling the ministers at the start of the weekly cabinet session in Jerusalem.

Olmert announced in July that he would quit the Kadima party leadership, and then the premiership, because of multiple investigations against him for alleged corruption. Police recommended two weeks ago that he be indicted on some of the allegations.

Tel Aviv  - Prime Minister Ehud Olmert congratulated Tzipi Livni on her projected victory in Wednesday's primary for Israel's ruling Kadima party.

Olmert telephoned Livni, wished her success and promised his full cooperation with the 50-year-old foreign minister who is to succeed him as party leader, and as prime minister if she succeeds in forming a new coalition.

Tel Aviv  - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Wednesday evening that his decision to resign after his party elects a new leader had been painful, but added he felt "no bitterness."

"I decided to resign, with pain, not with pleasure, I must say, really with pain," a tired-looking, casually clad Olmert told a gathering of students in Israel's southern Negev desert.

Tel Aviv - In a contest that could decide the fate of the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, Israel's ruling Kadima party began electing a new leader Wednesday to replace discredited Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Some 144 polling stations opened their doors at 10 am (0700 GMT) at locations throughout the country, and are to stay open for 12 hours, to enable the 74,000 eligible Kadima members to cast their ballots. By late afternoon, around 20 per cent had done so.

Tel Aviv - In a contest which could decide the fate of the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, Israel's ruling Kadima party began electing a new leader Wednesday to replace discredited Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Some 144 polling stations opened their doors at 10 am (0700 GMT) at locations throughout the country, and stay open for 12 hours, to enable the 74,000 eligible Kadima members to cast their ballots. By mid-afternoon, slightly more than 13 per cent had done so.

"I call on everyone to come and vote," frontrunner Tzipi Livni told reporters as she cast her ballot in Tel Aviv.

Tel Aviv - Members of Israel's ruling Kadima party is choosing a new leader Wednesday to replace discredited Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Some 74,000 registered members of the centrist party are eligible to vote at 114 polling stations placed in 93 different locations throughout the country.

Polls are scheduled to open 10 am (0700 GMT) and close 12 hours later, with initial results expected in by midnight. Israel's main television channels, however, are expected to broadcast the results of exit polls shortly after voting ends.