Opinion
Would Olmert be guilty in US?
Yiron Festinger
Published: 05.05.08, 19:02
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30 Talkbacks for this article
1. Stealing is stealing anywhere in the world.
Bunnie Meyer ,   Santa Monica,CA USA   (05.05.08)
2. Come on, everyone knows that Olmert is being hounded to make
him cede land   (05.05.08)
Even he understands the rules of the game, and the minute the persecution begins, he begins to talk about the accomlishments in the "talks" and about all the land he's willing to give to arabs. The game is getting sicker and sicker.
3. A slight difference
Roscio ,   Rome, Italy   (05.05.08)
Bill Clinton did not allow Texas to be bombed daily by Kassams for 2 years, and did not try to give away parts of Washington, DC to terrorists. Whatever it takes to dislodge a disgrace like Olmert from power, I am for it.
4. The answer is YES!
Gary S. ,   Hadera, Israel   (05.05.08)
Comparisons to the Clintons are irrelevant. Except for their salaries and royalties from books, everything else comes from Bill - AFTER he left office. Olmert's allegedly ill-gotten gains were all derived while he was/is in office and can reward his benefactors. That's the root of corruption. It's interesting that this author was mum when allegations flew about Bibi's alleged hotel-gate in London. Do I smell a Olmert's political spin-meister? The stench is all too familiar...
5. The Americans don't have to give land to arabs,.. yet
{-:)   (05.05.08)
What will they do when they have no go zones for kufars?
6. thing is he's not PM of USA; he's PM of Israel!
don't do the crime ,   if u can't do time!   (05.05.08)
7. Would Olmert
Nanci ,   US   (05.05.08)
The issue is if Olmert is guilty undr Israel law- NOT US. So the writer's point is peculiar.. and if Olmert did something Libya -so what ? Mr Clinton's earnings are AFTER being US president- again : what is the comparison ? Last - we do not know why Olmert now is being investigated, so how can you defend his innocence? he has not been charged- yet.
8. Anyone taking money to sell out their country would be tried
Nannette ,   London   (05.05.08)
9. festinger is ignorant of US system
DAVID ,   new york   (05.05.08)
1. first of all, you do not say "clinton was a senator on behalf of the democratic party". while someone may belong to a party or mostly vote along with a party, unlike as it is in israel, senators represent states, not parties. 2. the clintons did plenty of real illegal stuff (bill clinton was disbarred not to mention impeached), but people know by now that investigating popular politicians only makes them stronger. you only investigate people who are unpopular. a completely colorless party hack like olmert would never have been elected president here. we elect people who actually have a personality. we also have corrupt politicians (e.g. bill clinton) but at least they need personality and need to be liked. everyone hates olmert (and he's proud of that fact)
10. Please don't look to the US as a good example
P ,   Philadelphia   (05.05.08)
Our political system should not be considered a good role model for a healthy democratic system. I always point to the Knesset and the Bundestag as examples for how legislative bodies can be run better.
11. He would never have been *elected* in the US
Raymond in DC ,   Washington, DC USA   (05.05.08)
Well, maybe for some Congressional seat. But after his two year term we'd have the opportunity to be done with him. But not in Israel. Here, everything goes through the Party, and there's no direct accountability. That's why Israel needs to move toward district based elections. In that way the best and the brightest have a fighting chance, rather than today's party hacks, and citizens can "throw the bum out" if he disappoints.
12. #3 Roscio, Rome, Italia. I'm with you.
Terry ,   Eilat, Israel   (05.05.08)
Hang him first, then have a trial. At this point, I'd give him life in prison for a parking ticket.
13. there is more acceptble coruption here than in the maffia
zionist forever   (05.05.08)
In just about every other country in the western world Olmert would be found guilty, be forced to resign & possibly even end up in court and even face a jail sentence. In Israel being corupt is ok dont worry we will do shout and scream a little but now and again to make it sound unacceptble but most of the time we are not really that worrried and its a free for all. There is more coruption in the Israeli government than there is in the maffia and they are harder to do anything to than the most powerfull maffia dons.
14. A little bit of corruption causes more corruption and on &
on & on &on........ ,   NY, USA   (05.06.08)
15. Well Duh Of Course it's illegal
Ralph Levy ,   USA   (05.06.08)
Clinton aren't presidents at this moment and got the money after he left office. Olmert is PM.
16. ohlmert
sas ,   israel   (05.06.08)
the man is a crrok and a liar - makes no diffeence where he lives.
17. investegations of this nature ...
galut   (05.06.08)
can be very distracting to a leader.... omert would do his cause a great service and resign
18. Idiotic Assessment.
David ,   Jerusalem   (05.06.08)
Its obvious you aren't an American. Leave such assessments to people who were born and bred there, or lived there for most of their lives. Americans have very little tolerance for the kind of corruption seen in the Israeli system. The "corruption affairs" you mention wouldn't require guilt or innocence in America. A politician involved in a "Greek Island" affair in the US would resign in the midst of the scandal. And multiple scandals? The American people wouldn't have to sit the parade of investigations out - again, the politician would step down. But then, unlike American politicians, Israeli politicians don't answer to the people who elected them - they answer to their party central committees, which is corrupt in of itself. In America, Olmert would have been pushed out long ago without any sort of trial. And if he didn't have the good sense to go on his own, his party would have leveraged him out to save their own face. You have no idea what your are talking about.
19. You're missing the point
Yoni ,   Modiin, Israel   (05.06.08)
There's no law against conflict of interest, it just looks bad. What we're talking about here is bribery.
20. # 4 - EXCELLENT CONTRA
citizen ,   tel aviv   (05.06.08)
The author of this article must surely be biased . How else would he come to such an irrational comparison between the Clintons - who gained their profits due to their personal talent - and the corrupt olmert whose obvious talent is spinology ???
21. 10
zionist forever   (05.06.08)
Israels political system is a joke and the country is on the fringes of the idea of demcracy as a result. We dont choose the PM the party does. The MKS do not answer to the voters their loyalty remains with the party leadership as they are simply political apointments, the public dont decide who they would like to have represent them, there is no local MK for your average Israeli to go discuss his problems with because there are no constituancies. If you keep the boss happy then he will give you a Knesset seat it doesnt matter how much the voters hate you. The rediculous coalition system means you can ellect a government based on certain promises but then so they can put a coalition together they will compromise on those policies. Votes are split by all these single issue parties there needs to be a higher threshold of support needed to be allowed to stand. The US has 2 parties which is not good there should be more choice but Israel the list is as long as your arm most of them and they come and the various parties come and go every time there is an ellection the rest of them are 1 time wonder single issue parties that exist purley to be invited into coalitions to serve their personal agendas not for the good of the people. The system is very unstable so we can have governments that last 1 year or 4 years depending on how skilled the politicians are at staying in power. There is no constiution the rights of the people is how they are interprited by the serving government and their policies. Israels system is ripe with coruption. The best kind of political system is somethng along the lines of the UK. There is more than just Democrat or Republican and less than Israels list. The parties all stand for something and can form governments on their own in most cases. The one with the most votes wins, the politicians are ellected localy and if their constituants have a problem they discuss it with them and bring up the martter in parliament. Israels system is a shambles and something we should be ashamed of. A country thats 60 years old and its political system creates less democratic government than te new Iraqi parliament.
22. pessach we get rid of hometz Israel needs to get rid of
zionist forever   (05.06.08)
Political hometz Israel needs a wholesale clear out of all its politicians and stop all this coruption and having the same old faces stand for the top job year after year. The palestians need to clean out their political system they are either all terrorists or PLO old gaurd who were in Tunis with Arafat they need to clean their house so how about a gesture of peace we have clear out on both sides .... forget oslo lets help each other clean up politics. We can launch sattalites, and make the deserts bloom but we cant get an honest political system that works. Olmert is just one of many crooked politicians in the Knesset its a disguting humiliation.
23. Not if Bush, Cheney and Haliburton executives try him
Jack ,   San Diego, USA   (05.06.08)
24. First investigate his loyalty to Israel, then his honesty.
Jack ,   San Diego, USA   (05.06.08)
25. Olmert
Dan ,   Montreal, Canada   (05.06.08)
Olmert may or not be guilty in Canada either but he would resign as PM thee and ask the Governor General to dissolve parliament and call new elections.
26. Curious question
Chrisona ,   Chicago.IL   (05.06.08)
In the United States, money talks and bullsh*t walks. Israel is a bit more fastidious than that, I hope. I don't think comparing the two countries throws any light on the situation with the PM.
27. Whitewash
Nachman ,   Maaleh Adumim   (05.06.08)
Here we go Olmert's friends doing a whitewash. Olmert Habeyta! Achshav!!!
28. First misunderstanding of US law
Mordechai   (05.07.08)
The author asks why none of the 300 million citizens have filed a criminal complaint against Hillary Because we have no standing. One major difference between US and Isareli law is the US requires one to be a party to an issue to file a complaint or lawsuit. In Israel everyone can file a lawsuit or complaint even if they have no relationship to the issue. 2nd Bill Clinton is the one with the speaking engagements not Hillary Clinton. If a senator took money from someone with business in front of the Senate it would be considred bribary. Its a loopwhole and a bad one but it exists. The comparable issue would be if Olmerts wife had business dealings with people with business with the Knesset. If it could be proved Bill Clinton was hired by Dubai in exchange for a vote on an issue by Hillary it would be considered a criminal offense in the US.
29. American Presidents get away with murder compared to
Rivkah   (05.07.08)
Israeli Prime Ministers and MK's who get charged for little things incomparison. There are those who believe Franklin Roosevelt had Charles Lindbergh's baby kidnapped and killed to keep Lindy from running for US President and beating Roosevelt because of Lindy's enormous popularity after being the first person to fly solo over the Atlantic Ocean. Hillary Clinton would have had to run for the US Senate in New York against the enormously popular John Kennedy, Jr. if the latter had not died in an airplane crash a week before he was going to announce his run for the US Senate. Then there was Grover Cleveland running for President and accused of fathering a child out of wedlock. There were three possible fathers for the child, so Cleveland fessed up and took responsibility and supported the child which won him the election. Bill Clinton also had a Black son out of wedlock named Danny in Arkansas, but won the elections for President anyway. No moral turpitude charges for him, even with Monica Lewinsky. He lost his law license in Arkansas but not the President's office. Israelis think they have criminals in the Knesset because every little thing is a crime in Israel. When the Clintons came too close to being charged for a murder, it would be declared a suicide or Arkancide.
30. olmert
len mann ,   usa   (05.08.08)
At this point we do not know what he may be charged with, possibility accepting bribes. In the US you get sent to prison for such actions. Lets hope this happens to Olmert.
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