Israel Matzav

Kadima puts a nail in its coffin; Olmert compares himself to Begin

The Kadima Achora party put another nail in its coffin last night by voting 26-3 to back Prime Minister Ehud K. Olmert. The only MK's who were opposed were Foreign Minister Tzipi Feigele Livni, coalition chairman Avigdor Yitzchaki (who resigned and was replaced by Olmert loyalist Tzachi Hanegbi) and number five MK Marina Solodkin. Olmert 'advisor' Tal Zilberstein continues to advise him to fire Livni.

But when she picked me up from the airport today, all Mrs. Carl in Jerusalem (who has nowhere near my passion for politics) could talk about was Olmert's gall in comparing himself with Menachem Begin z"l in a Knesset speech yesterday (which I cannot find at the moment). Olmert said that like Begin planning Osirak, he made the decision and he will bear the consequences. Begin, of course, weighed his options for months, knew what he was doing, and succeeded in taking out the Iraqi reactor. Olmert weighed his options for two hours, had no clue what he was doing and lost the war. Mrs. Carl was furious at Olmert's audacity.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:01 PM