Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's main coalition partner decided today to support a bill to dissolve parliament that could paralyse the government and force early elections.
Defence Minister Ehud Barak, head of the Labour Party, said he was "very satisfied with the decision" by his faction to vote in favour of the motion scheduled to take place on Wednesday.
Mr Olmert has vowed to stay in office and continue to lead his party unless indicted
Mr 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 from political allies and foes.
He has denied wrongdoing in the case, in which a New York-based financier testified in court that he gave $150,000 to the Israeli leader while he held previous public positions.
With Labour supporting the vote to dissolve parliament, Mr Olmert's coalition is not likely to have enough votes to block the bill. Some smaller factions have yet to announce whether they will vote for the motion.
Subsequent votes needed to approve the bill could be held by the end of parliament's summer session in late July.
Mr Olmert has threatened to fire Labour cabinet ministers if they back the vote, which would leave him without a legislative majority, which would open the way for an early election and would be likely disrupt Israel's peace talks with the Palestinians.
Mr Olmert's lawyers planned to question the US businessman next month. It would up to the attorney-general to decide whether to indict Mr Olmert.