Ehud Olmert (, , born 30 September 1945) is the 12th Prime Minister of Israel. He is a member of the Kadima party. On September 21, 2008, Olmert formally resigned his office in a letter submitted to President Shimon Peres, who asked new Kadima party leader Tzipi Livni to form a new government.^[1] If she succeeds in doing so, Livni will succeed Olmert as Prime Minister. In the interim, Olmert continues to carry out the duties of his office.^[2]

Olmert began exercising the powers of the office as Caretaker for the Prime Minister on 4 January 2006, after Ariel Sharon suffered a severe hemorrhagic stroke. An election was held on 28 March, with the Kadima Party headed by Olmert winning, thus enabling him to continue on in his role as Caretaker Prime Minister. On 14 April 2006, the length of Sharon's legal incapacitation reached 100 days, allowing Olmert to legally become Acting (transitional) Prime Minister, and Israel's official head of government. Olmert then formed a new Government on 4 May 2006, the 31st government, making him Israel's official Prime Minister. ^[3].

On 30 July 2008, Olmert announced that he would not participate in his party's September 2008 leadership elections and would resign from his position as Prime Minister immediately thereafter.^[4] Livni was elected as Kadima's leader on September 17, 2008, and Olmert fulfilled his promise to resign four days later.^[5]

Biography

Youth and military service

Born near Binyamina in the British Mandate of Palestine, Ehud Olmert is a graduate of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem with degrees in psychology, philosophy and law.

According to Olmert, his parents, Bellah and Mordechai, escaped "persecution in Ukraine and Russia and found sanctuary in Harbin, China. They emigrated to Israel to fulfill their dream of building a Jewish and democratic state living in peace in the land of our ancestors."^[6] Olmert's childhood included membership in the Beitar Youth Organization and dealing with the fact that his parents were often blacklisted and discriminated against due to their affiliation with the Jewish militia group the Irgun. They were also part of Herut, the opposition to the long-ruling Mapai party. However, by the 1970s this was proving less detrimental to one's career than during the 1950s, and Olmert succeeded in opening a successful law partnership in Jerusalem.

Olmert served with the Israel Defense Forces in the Golani combat brigade. While in service he was injured and temporarily released. He underwent many treatments, and later completed his military duties as a journalist for the IDF magazine BaMahane. During the Yom Kippur War he joined the headquarters of Ariel Sharon as a military correspondent. Already a member of the Knesset, he decided to go through an officer's course in 1980 at the age of 35.

Family

Ehud Olmert's wife, Aliza, is a writer of novels and theater plays, as well as an artist. It has been rumored that Aliza was a (founding) member of the Israeli left wing organization Women in Black.^[7] Some people believe that Aliza is more left-leaning in her politics than her husband. She claimed to have voted for him for the first time in 2006.^[8]

The couple has four biological children and an adopted daughter.^[9] The oldest daughter, Michal, holds a Masters in psychology and leads workshops in creative thinking. Their daughter Dana is a lecturer in literature at the Tel Aviv University and the editor of a literature series. She is a lesbian and lives with her partner in Tel Aviv. Her parents are accepting of her sexual orientation and partner. Dana is active in the Jerusalem branch of the Israeli human rights organization Machsom Watch. In June 2006 she attended a march in Tel Aviv protesting alleged Israeli complicity in the Gaza beach blast, which made her the subject of bitter criticism from right wing personalities.^[10]

Their son Shaul Olmert married an Israeli artist and lives in New York. He is currently a Vice President at Nickelodeon. After Shaul had finished his military service, he signed a petition of the Israeli left-wing organization Yesh G'vul. He later became the spokesman of Beitar Jerusalem FC, his father's favorite football team. This team is often associated with the Israeli right. Ehud's younger son Ariel, who did not serve in the Israeli Army, studies French literature at the Sorbonne in Paris. Shuli is their adopted daughter. She was orphaned from her mother at birth.^[11][12]

Olmert's father Mordechai, considered a pioneer of Israel's land settlement and a former member of the Second and Third Knessets, grew up in the Chinese city of Harbin where he led the local Betar youth movement. Olmert's grandfather, J.J. Olmert settled in Harbin after fleeing post World War-I Russia.^[13] In 2004, Ehud Olmert visited China and paid his respects at the tomb of his grandfather in Harbin. Olmert said that his father had never forgotten his Chinese hometown after moving to what was then the British Mandate of Palestine, in 1933 at the age of 22. "When he died at the age of 88, he spoke his last words in Chinese", he recalled.^[14]

MK and Minister

In 1966, during Gahal's party convention (a predecessor to today's Likud), party leader Menachem Begin was challenged by the young Ehud Olmert, who called for his resignation. Begin announced that he would retire from party leadership, but soon reversed his decision when the crowd emotionally pleaded with him to stay.

Olmert was first elected to the Knesset in 1973 at the age of 28 and was re-elected seven consecutive times. Between 1981 and 1989, he served as a member of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and served on the Finance, Education and Defense Budget Committees. He served as Minister without Portfolio, responsible for minority affairs between 1988 and 1990, and as Minister of Health from 1990 until 1992. Following Likud's defeat in the 1992 election, instead of remaining a Knesset member in the opposition, he successfully ran for Mayor of Jerusalem in November 1993.

Mayor of Jerusalem

Bronze plate situated in the Wire Opera House in Curitiba, Brazil, commemorating Olmert's visit as Mayor of Jerusalem

While Mayor of Jerusalem, Olmert was an invited speaker at an international conflict resolution conference held in Derry in Northern Ireland. In his address, he spoke of how "Political leaders can help change the psychological climate which affects the quality of relationships among people." His speech concluded with reflections on the importance of political process in overcoming differences: "How are fears born? They are born because of differences in tradition and history; they are born because of differences in emotional, political and national circumstances. Because of such differences, people fear they cannot live together. If we are to overcome such fear, a credible and healthy political process must be carefully and painfully developed. A political process that does not aim to change the other or to overcome differences, but that allows each side to live peacefully in spite of their differences."^[15]

Ministry of Acting Prime Minister

Olmert was elected as a member of the sixteenth Knesset in January 2003. He served as the head of the election campaign for Likud in the elections, and subsequently was the chief negotiator of the coalition agreement. Following the elections he was appointed as Acting Prime Minister (A ministry position designed to replace the Prime Minister in any event), and Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor. From 2003-2004, he also served as Minister of Communications.

On 7 August2005, Olmert was appointed as acting Finance Minister, replacing Benjamin Netanyahu, who had resigned in protest against the planned Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.^[16]

Olmert, who had originally opposed withdrawing from land captured in the Six-Day War, and who had voted against the Camp David Peace Accords in 1978, is a vocal supporter of the Gaza pullout. After his appointment, Olmert said:

"I voted against Menachem Begin, I told him it was a historic mistake, how dangerous it would be, and so on and so on. Now I am sorry he is not alive for me to be able to publicly recognize his wisdom and my mistake. He was right and I was wrong. Thank God we pulled out of the Sinai."^[17]

During Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's second term, Olmert was widely viewed as Sharon's right hand man. He was a vocal supporter of government policy and was the most important ally of Sharon during the September 2005 unilateral disengagement plan. When Sharon announced his leaving the Likud and the formation of a new party, Kadima, Olmert was one of the first to join him.

Exercising powers of Prime Minister office

On 4 January2006, as the minister of Acting Prime Minister, Olmert became Caretaker for the Prime Minister of Israel as a result of the serious stroke suffered by then Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. This occurred, after Consultations took place, between Government Secretary Israel Maimon and Attorney General Meni Mazouz, whom declared Sharon "temporarily incapable to carry out the duties of his office". Then, Olmert and the Cabinet reaffirmed in an announced, that the 28 March elections will be held as scheduled (unfortunately without hospitalized Sharon).

During the days following the stroke, Olmert met with Shimon Peres and other Sharon supporters to try to convince them to stay with Kadima, rather than return to Likud or, in Peres' case, Labour, in order not to make Kadima party collaps, after Sharon's stroke, and reaffirm himself as the new leader of the party. Peres announced his support for Olmert, as did Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, who is regarded as the strongest political force other than Olmert within Kadima. On 16 January2006 Olmert was elected Caretaker Chairman of Kadima, and Kadima's candidate for Caretaker Prime Minister in the nearing scheduled general elections of March 28, instaed of Ariel Sharon, who was lying in Hospital under severe stroke^{[18] [19]}

The previously scheduled elections for 28 March, with the Kadima Party headed by Olmert, as caretaker of Sharon's political and Government positions, made Olmert continue his role as Caretaker Prime Minister.

A Caretaker Prime Minister can remain in office 100 days after the Prime Minister has become incapacitated. Then, the president of Israel must either nominate a new Prime Minister (who then must get an approval vote from the knesset), or call an early election. In this case, the 100 days were over on 14 April 2006, just few days after the elections were held, with olmert as Caretakers of all Sharon's political and Government positions, thus, making this process deemed unneeded, and so Olmert became legally Acting (transitional) Prime Minister, and formed a new Government on May 4, 2006, thus, making him the Prime Minister by all legal means.

In his first major policy address since becoming Israel's Caretaker prime minister, Olmert said at the Herzliya conference on 24 January that he backed the creation of a Palestinian state, and that Israel would have to relinquish parts of the West Bank to maintain its Jewish majority. At the same time, he said, "We firmly stand by the historic right of the people of Israel to the entire Land of Israel."^[20] Also, in a number of interviews to the media during the election campaign for the 17th Knesset, Olmert introduced to the public his convergence plan.

Scandal hit Olmert's administration when on 1 February 2006 reports of excessive force and police brutality at the forced eviction at Amona, a West Bank Israeli settlement. Right-wing and right-of-center voters reacted with strong disapproval, and this impacted the up-coming elections.^[21]

Hence, a weaker-than-expected showing of 29 seats in the elections held on 28 March, Olmert's party, Kadima, was still the largest block in the Knesset and thus the first choice for assembling a coalition. In his victory speech, Olmert promised to make Israel a just, strong, peaceful and prosperous state, respecting the rights of the minorities, cherishing education, culture and science and above all—striving to achieve lasting and definite peace with the Palestinians. Olmert stated that as Israel is willing to compromise for peace, the Palestinians must be flexible in their positions as well. He stated that if the Palestinians, with Hamas now leading the Palestinian Authority, refuse to recognize the State of Israel, then Israel "will take her own fate in her hands" directly, implying unilateral action. The future of the next governing coalition largely depends on the goodwill of other parties to cooperate with the newly elected prime minister.

The President of Israel Moshe Katsav formally asked Olmert on 6 April to form a government, to become from the Presumptive to the Prime Minister by all means. Olmert had an initial period of 28 days to form a governing coalition, with a possible two-week extension.^[22] On 11 April2006 the Israeli Cabinet deemed that Sharon was incapacitated. The 100-day replacement deadline was extended due to the Jewish festival of Passover,^[23] and a provision was made that, should Sharon's condition improve between 11 April and 14 April, the declaration would not take effect. Therefore, the official declaration took effect on 14 April, formally ending Sharon's term as Prime Minister and making Olmert the country's new Acting (transional) Prime Minister (he would not become full Prime Minister until he formed a government).

Prime Minister

Ehud Olmert and George W. Bush

On 24 May2006, Olmert was invited to address a joint session of the US Congress.^[24] He stated that his government would proceed with Israel's unilateral disengagement plan if it could not come to agreement with the Palestinians. Olmert was the third Israeli Prime Minister to have been invited to speak at a joint session of Congress. On June 42006, Olmert announced he will meet Mahmoud Abbas to resume talks on the Road map for peace.

Under Olmert, the policy of ambiguity on the possession by Israel of nuclear weapons remains intact. One result of this is the continued detention in Israel of Mordechai Vanunu, who spent eighteen years in prison in Israel after breaking confidentiality agreements and divulging to a news organization in Britain details about Israel's suspected nuclear projects.

Since the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict, Olmert has become extremely unpopular in Israel and recent opinion polls have pointed to a victory for Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu if an election were to be held at this point. Additionally, on 15 September2006, former chief of staff Moshe Ya'alon held that Olmert should resign his office. According to the BBC, Olmert's approval rating has dropped from 22 percent in early 2006 to 14 percent. As of May 2007, Olmert's approval rating fell to 3 percent.^[25] Olmert has also been the recent recipient of a Google Bomb for the words ?????? ????, which means "miserable failure" in Hebrew.^[26]

On 26 September2006 the BBC reported that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had held a meeting with a senior member of the Saudi royal family which rules Saudi Arabia. These talks reportedly included the reported Saudi proposal to lead Arab states in recognition of Israel in exchange for Israel removing its forces from neighboring occupied territories. Ehud claimed in an interview with Yediot Aharonot's newspaper that the meeting had US backing.^[27]

Ehud Olmert meets with Condoleezza Rice and Mahmoud Abbas

Olmert told on 9 December that he could not rule out the possibility of a military attack against Iran, and called for the international community to step up action against the country. Olmert called Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's repeated threats to destroy Israel "absolutely criminal", and said that he expected "more dramatic steps to be taken." The interview came ahead of his planned trip to Germany, where on 11 December he met and held a joint press conference with Chancellor Angela Merkel. He stated that he was prepared to concede "large territories" in the West Bank for a "true peace." Such a withdrawal would allow the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, he added.^[28]

In a 11 December interview with German TV network Sat.1, he appeared to include Israel in a list of nuclear powers, a statement which his office has characterised as an unintentional mistake in translation. He has nonetheless come under harsh criticism from both ends of the Israeli political spectrum due to the perceived threat to Israel's policy of ambiguity regarding its nuclear status.^[29][30]

On 21 January2007, Olmert promised to lessen conflict and work with Defense Minister Amir Peretz in determining who will succeed former IDF Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz.^[31]

On 2 May2007, the Winograd Commission accused Olmert of failing to properly manage the Second Lebanese War,^[32] which prompted a mass rally of over 100,000 people calling for his resignation.^[33] At the moment he still has an acting coalition, but his post is perceived to be at risk.

On 28 July2007 Olmert requested of his cabinet and his cabinet agreed that Holocaust survivors living in Israel who are older than 70 will receive a special supplement to their pensions and welfare allowances totaling some $28 million in 2008.

In October 2007, Olmert announced he has prostate cancer. His doctors declare it is a very minor one, with no real risk, and no effect on his work.^[34]

On 4 November2007, he declared Israel's intention to negotiate with the Palestinians about all issues, stating, "Annapolis will be the jumping-off point for continued serious and in-depth negotiations, which will not avoid any issue or ignore any division that has clouded our relations with the Palestinian people for many years."^[35]

On 29 November2007, he warned of the end of Israel in case a two-state solution is not eventually found for the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. "If the day comes when the two-state solution collapses, and we face a South African-style struggle for equal voting rights (also for the Palestinians in the territories), then, as soon as that happens, the State of Israel is finished," Olmert said on the last day of the Annapolis Conference. "The Jewish organizations, which were our power base in America, will be the first to come out against us," Olmert said, "because they will say they cannot support a state that does not support democracy and equal voting rights for all its residents."^[36]

Controversies

In the 1970s, Olmert was rumored to be a party to a complex scheme involving well-known Jerusalem businessmen, organized crime, corrupt legislators, and retired General Rechavam Ze'evi. This affair was documented in investigative journalist Aryeh Avneri's Ha'tvusa in 1992. During the run-up to the Ze'evi libel suit, Olmert allegedly took funds from the Likud treasury for his defense fund, although his lawyers were from his own law firm. All accusations against Olmert were eventually settled out of court.

Israeli businessman David Appel has been suspected of bribing both Sharon and Olmert, while the latter was the Mayor of Jerusalem, in what is known as the Greek island affair. However, in June 2004 Israel's Attorney General decided to close the case without criminal proceedings, citing lack of evidence.

On 7 March 2006, it was disclosed that an inquiry was being carried out on the 1999 sale and lease-back of Olmert's Jerusalem house, which allegedly was done on financial terms very favorable to Olmert, in what would amount to an illegal campaign contribution and/or bribe.^[37] A criminal investigation regarding this matter was formally launched on 24 September2007.^[38]

On 16 January 2007, a criminal investigation was initiated against Olmert. The investigation focused on suspicions that during his tenure as finance minister, Olmert tried to steer the tender for the sale of Bank Leumi in order to help Slovak-born Australian real estate baron Frank Lowy, a close personal associate.^[39] Israeli Police who investigated the case eventually concluded that the evidence that was collected was insufficient for indictment and no recommendations to press charges were made.^[40]

After the criticism of Olmert's decision making by the Winograd Commission in its Preliminary report, many expected him to leave office, including his foreign minister Tzippi Livni. The final report of the commission turned out to be more positive about Olmert than expected, which derailed the protests demanding his resignation.

In April 2007 it was further alleged that, during his office as Minister of Trade, Industry and Labor, Olmert may have been guilty of criminal behavior by taking an active part in an investment center.^[41] During a parliamentary inquest in July 2007, Olmert flatly denied these accusations.^[42]

In May 2008, it became public that Olmert was the subject of another police investigation. The investigation concerns bribery allegations.^{[43] [44]} Olmert said that he took campaign contributions from the Jewish-American businessman Morris Talansky when he was running for Mayor of Jerusalem, leadership of the Likud and candidacy in the Likud list for the Knesset, but resisted calls to resign, and stated: "I never took bribes, I never took a penny for myself. I was elected by you, citizens of Israel, to be the prime minister and I don't intend to shirk this responsibility. If Attorney General Meni Mazuz decides to file an indictment, I will resign from my position, even though the law does not oblige me to do so."^{[45] [46]} On May 23, National Fraud Squad investigators interrogated Olmert for an hour in his Jerusalem residence for a second time about corruption allegations. It was the 5th probe since he became prime minister and no charges had been yet filed.^[47][48] On May 27, Morris Talansky testified in front of court that over the last 15 years he gave Olmert more than $150,000 in cash in envelopes.

On 6 September 2008 Israeli police recommended that criminal charges should be taken against Ehud Olmert for corruption. ^[49]

Stepping down

On 30 July 2008, Olmert announced that he will not contest the Kadima party leadership election in September, and will resign from office once his party elects a new leader.^[50][51] In his resignation speech, he addressed the cases of corruption of which he is being accused, saying he is "proud to be a citizen of a country in which a prime minister can be investigated like any other citizen," but also stated he "was forced to defend [himself] from ceaseless attacks by the self-appointed soldiers of justice, who sought to oust [him] from [his] position."^[51] The move has been interpreted as signaling the end of Olmert's political career.^[52]Olmert formally announced his intention to resign September 21 2008 at a Cabinet meeting.^[53]

According to Israeli law, whoever is elected as Kadima party leader will be required to form a new government, by forming a majority coalition in the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, and then get its approval vote. The new government will then replace Olmert's cabinet, remaining in power until the next scheduled general elections, to be held in 2010. If the new government is unable to obtain the approval of the Knesset, early general elections will be held, probably in early 2009; in this case, Olmert will remain in power until after the elections.^[54]

Reactions

Many politicians across the political spectrum praised Olmert's decision to resign. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni (Kadima) said "the personal decision was not simple, but it was correct. Kadima must continue to act in a way that will preserve its unity and ability to lead."^[55] Defense Minister and Labor party leader Ehud Barak called Olmert's announcement "a proper and responsible decision made at the right time."^[55]

Opposition leaders called for the resignation to be followed by general elections. Likud party leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, called for snap elections: "It doesn't matter who heads Kadima. They are all partners in this government's total failure. National responsibility requires a return to the people and new elections."^[56]

Impact on the Peace Process

Due to a new tighter schedule, many commentators point out that the American administrations plans to work to achieve a final status deal by the end of the year - the end of this current administration's term, has been diminished ^{[57] [58] [59]}. The announcement has made Olmert status, practically, a "Lame duck" ^[60] until September (the need to get the approval vote in the Israeli parliament of any agreement's draft), in addition to the schedule of the political agenda in Israel, since a new leader of Kadima party, and most probably a new Prime minister will emerge in September, whom will be busy with forming a new Israeli government from September to at least October, before becoming, if successful (without elections), the new Prime Minister. In November of this year, the American Presidential elections will be held, marking the end of this current American administration's term, though the American Administration still insists that his goal of reaching such a final status agreement remains the same ^[59].

References

External links

• Ehud Olmert's biography Knesset website
• Profile: Ehud Olmert
• Ehud Olmert
• PBS Frontline/World's piece on Ehud Olmert
• Ehud Olmert Profile by Ynetnews
• Profile: Israel's Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert by Ynetnews
• 1967: Israel cannot make peace alone, op-ed by Ehud Olmert, The Guardian June 6, 2007

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