Israel Matzav

Netanyahu calls for new elections; public doesn't trust Olmert

Likud leader Binyamin (Bibi) Netanyahu called for new elections today and confirmed that "a number" of Kadima Achora MK's have talked to him about returning to the Likud. I'd rather Netanyahu left the opportunists in Kadima to rot. Especially if they include leftists like Meir Shetreet or Tzipi Feigele Livni. But Bibi has picked an opportune moment to call for new elections:

Based on the results of a Channel 10 poll released Wednesday, Netanyahu is the prime candidate for prime minister, leading the pack with the support of 30% of those polled, followed by Labor MK Ami Ayalon at 18%.

Former Labor prime minister Ehud Barak had the support of 12% of those polled, followed by Israel Beiteinu Party head Avigdor Lieberman, who garnered support from only 7% of the poll participants.

The only politician less popular then Olmert is Labor Party Chairman Amir Peretz - Olmert was favored by only 3% of the voters polled. Peretz fared even worse and received only 1% of the vote.

Some 72% said Olmert should resign, but only 57% said they wanted elections now.

It was not the only poll that showed the depths to which Olmert's popularity has sunk. A survey of 400 Israelis commissioned by Ynet showed that 64% want Olmert to resign and call for new elections.

To add insult to injury, it was reported on Wednesday that Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni's brother, Eli, left the Kadima party in favor of the Likud party.

With Olmert, the issue isn't just competence: it's trust. The public doesn't believe him anymore. And with good reason:

Most Israelis believe State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss rather than Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in their clash over the interim report on handling of Home Front during the war in Lebanon, a poll conducted for Ynet by the Smith Institute revealed.

Lindenstrauss alleged at the beginning of the week that although he had sent his questions regarding to the report to the prime minister about two months ago, Olmert had yet to send his replies to all 12 questions.

Officials at the Prime Minister's Office slammed the comptroller in response, saying that "a new record has been broken here, with the comptroller misleading the MKs who appointed him in order to reach his goal."

According to the survey, 58 percent of the public believe the comptroller's version over the prime minister's. Only 9 percent believe that Olmert's version is more reliable than Lindenstrauss'. Twelve percent of respondents said they did not believe either one of them. [And 21% are undecided? CiJ]

Asked whether Israel's situation had changed for the better or for the worse since the Olmert government was elected about a year ago, 68 percent said that the situation had become worse. Only 6 percent believed that the situation had improved, while 24 percent said that the situation had not changed.

I don't think former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley could get elected on Olmert's record.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:40 AM