Olmert vows/promises to quit
Israel prepares to say a heartfelt buh-bye to Olmert, and don’t let the door hit you on the way out. He was a weak leader who arguably made the country’s position worse.
The next steps for Israel are unclear. There will be an election in September for leader of Olmert’s party, but if no new name emerges Olmert could linger on quite a while. If a national election were to be called, Netanyahu is the current frontrunner.
Why Bibi isn’t just appointed to the leadership position now is beyond me. He’s the only one with the cajones to make sure Israel isn’t wiped off the map.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced that he will not contest the Kadima Party leadership on September 17 and will resign, to battle official corruption charges against him, after a new party leader is chosen. US billionaire Morris Talansky has testified in an Israeli court that Olmert accepted US$150,000 in illegal campaign contributions from him during Olmert’s term as mayor of Jerusalem and later as cabinet minister prior to becoming PM in 2006. According to Haaretz today: “Opposition leader and Likud Party Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu is the Israeli public’s preferred choice to replace Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, according to a survey released on Wednesday by Channel 10.”
timing is interesting…
though most people dont follow things and arent aware of this sinker.
Atias says Shas believes ‘Post’ report
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1202657414830&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
In Tuesday’s Maariv a Shas official claimed that Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni was holding the covert talks with the Palestinians behind the prime minister’s back in order to force Shas to quit the coalition and bring down the government. “Tzipi Livni is creating upheaval [around] Olmert and pushing Shas out [of the coalition], the source said.
Yishai will meet Olmert when the prime minister returns from Germany and will try to find out whether Livni “is the conductor and is acting on her own volition or whether she is being directed from above”, Atias told Army Radio. “We cannot disregard what is happening. We cannot bury our heads in the sand.”
there is a lot going on that we are not being filled in on… Olmert is and was dirty… and his ties to certain states and his other links puts him in bad light. and thats just in the things we have figured out or found out.
“Why Bibi isn’t just appointed to the leadership position now is beyond me.”
Because he proved to be completely untrustworthy when he was prime minister, that’s why. He reneged on deals and backstabed friends and opponents alike.
You and I may like him because he’d be tough on foreign policy and would strike Iran if it came down to it, but he’s apparently a Bill Clinton when it comes to working with the Knesset.
I agree with Barb. With Hezbollah virtually ruling Lebanon “next door,” and Iran’s sworn declarations to wipe Israel off the map, Israel now needs a real tough guy.
As for the backstabbing, well, I think the Israelis right now prioritize (as they have for pretty much most of their existence) self-defense and tough foreign policy. And it is in their interest to do so. Especially if we end up with a President who, by all indications does not prioritize our relationship with Israel. And anyway, he’ll pre-empt any need by diplomatically convincing Iran et al. that it wouldn’t be “nice” to bomb Israel.
The difference between us and Israel is that all Israelis serve in the armed forces for some period — and they know just what is at stake.
Most of us here in U.S. are a bunch of coddled spoiled babies who have never been near a war zone; had to sacrifice one thing as our parents did in WW II (happily and willingly, for the cause of winning the war) even while our country is at war. Most just don’t want to KNOW what’s at stake (or think about it because it’s not pleasant).
Frankly, I think Israel has got it just right. Making kids serve a year or two before college (in peace or in wartime) not only gives them a chance to grow up, learn responsibility and learn there’s life beyond one’s personal bubble. I’ve yet to meet an Israeli who, based on their experience, would have it any other way.
Israeli politics always was far from transparency and riddled with corruption. Only strong leaders with popular appeal, like Sharon or Golda Meir, were able to rise above Knesset swamp and ignore this bunch of mediocre cleptocrats. And Bibi during his cadence did exactly this. This is the reason of his popularity among voters and unpopularity among politicians.
In Mediterranean political culture, democracy usually degenerates into a incessant succession of weak, inapt, unstable and utterly corrupt governments, running on bribes and patronage system; see Italy or Spain. Their best hope is strong popular leaders like Franco, Mussolini, Berlusconi – and yes, Netaniyahu.
Yeah. Decoding foreign politics is difficult from the safety and security of these United States. Someone may sound good to us, but we don’t know what garbage may be lurking behind the politician. That seemed to be the case with Putin. Also, we don’t pay their taxes and serve in their armed forces, so have not much to say about it in any case. Things aren’t the same there as here. Even the mighty Rush Limbaugh observed that lassiez-faire economics may not be the best thing for Mexico right now.