JERUSALEM, 5 May 2007 — Battered Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert remained defiant yesterday after a mass rally called on him to quit over his failure in the Lebanon war, with the next few weeks seen as key to whether the master politician can cling to power.
“The prime minister does not intend to resign,” Olmert spokeswoman Miri Eisin said. “The prime minister listens attentively to everything that happens and is trying to react in the best interests of the State of Israel.” Late Thursday between 150,000 and 200,000 people, according to estimates by police and organizers, gathered in Tel Aviv calling on Olmert to resign in the wake of a government inquiry that roasted his leadership last summer’s war.
Olmert has admitted to errors in handling the war, but has said stepping down would be irresponsible and vowed to correct the mistakes uncovered by the inquiry.
“I am personally not in the most comfortable position,” he told lawmakers from his Kadima party this week. “But I am past the age of 60 and I’ve seen a lot of things in my life and I’ve learned not to run away from responsibility.”
Already weakened by a string of scandals and with two-thirds of Israelis wanting him to go, the man often called Israel’s best politician has so far managed to bridle several challenges to his leadership since Monday’s report.
“Contrary to expectations and assessments, Olmert is ending this week on his feet — wounded, bleeding, battered and bruised, but breathing. For now,” wrote the tabloid Maariv.
But observers warn that the next few weeks will be crucial as to whether he will be able to cling on to the post he officially assumed less than a year ago after leading Kadima to a narrow victory in its first parliamentary poll.
Olmert still faces trouble on several fronts — his party, his coalition, the numerous corruption investigations against him and the final report by the Winograd Commission on the Lebanon war due out in less than three months.
Meanwhile Labor, Kadima’s main partner, is considering abandoning the coalition. That would leave Olmert without the required majority in parliament and pave the way for opposition Likud chief Benjamin Netanyahu to try to form one, observers say. Labor’s central committee is due to discuss the matter at a meeting on May 13. “Olmert and Kadima leaders fear the public outcry over the Winograd report could force Labor to quit the government,” Haaretz wrote.
The United States, meanwhile, has submitted a detailed plan to Israel and the Palestinians over easing restrictions on movement in the Palestinian territories and improving security, a senior official said yesterday.
The document sets out a timetable for implementing the measures, aimed at easing Israeli restrictions on movement on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza and addressing Israeli security concerns, Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erakat said, welcoming the measure.
