News  Elections
Olmert: Israel ruled by far-right leadership
Attila Somfalvi
Published: 08.12.12, 20:45
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31. #21. Nobody is going to force anything on Israel.
Chaim ,   Israel   (12.09.12)
Michael, you don't understand. We are not ghetto Jews. Nobody is going to force anything on Israel. Least of all a depraved version of "peace" involving surrendering our rights and land.
32. Olmert
Rick S. ,   USA   (12.09.12)
Who is he to complain? He headed a spineless left wing gov't that let the Arabs get away with murder (litteraly & figueratively). He would be Obama's lap dog.
33. Only a far-leftist would see our defeatist gov as far-right
Yaniv ,   Israel   (12.09.12)
34. O' merd.
Sasha ,   Bilbao, basque   (12.09.12)
Not that I like the new Likud, looks like a bunch of Feiglins. Yet, who speaks? Now, the issue is as simple as this: Olmert tried to reappear as a head of the centrist coalition. Nobody gave him a piss, so the man is angree. He is pathetic, but also does harm the israeli interests abroad. His last interview with Charlie Rose at bloomberg's was narzistic.
35. This man is a convicted felon
Moshe ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (12.09.12)
Olmert was convicted in July of breach of the public trust, and is also currently under indictment for taking massive bribes. And now, rather than hanging his head in contrition, this corrupt, shameless convicted criminal is lecturing others.
36. Olmert
Leo ,   France   (12.09.12)
I have recently read a book on recent anti-terrorist operations of the Israel army and security services starting from 2006, i. e., naturally, under the Olmert's government. I was surprised to see how much this supposedly "leftist and coward" government has done to strengthen the Israel's security. Olmert ordered the bombing of Syrian nuclear reactor, he launched the 2006 war against Hezbollah, which, at the end; forced Nasrallah to be quiet for many years afterwards. The "Cast Lead" operation against Hamas was executed effectively and aggressively, it stunned Hamas, and even the terrorists themselves hardly tried to claim then a "victory". Olmert was able to achieve all this because he was carefully cultivating friendly relations with US and Europe. In contrast, the current government of "tough guys" recently mounted an indecisive and weak "half-war", which ended in a military stalemate and, apparently, a political defeat. One should be wise to listen to what Olmert has to say.
37. Why is Olmert's opinion being asked for at all?
M. Davison ,   Ra'anana, Israel   (12.09.12)
This is just bad journalism. Instead of treating him like what he is, a convicted felon, he's being treated like an "elder statesman", just like Richard Nixon was. (For those of you who don't remember, when he resigned, his last words were "I am not a crook".) Treating Olmert like anything BUT a crook shows how low we've fallen...
38. He's not running because he's a convicted criminal
Scott ,   Ramat Gan, Israel   (12.09.12)
He stands no chance of being elected. He's a convicted criminal & should be in jail now, but the judges, like him are hypocrites and corrupt.
39. Olmert is a bitter old man because he feels wronged
zionist forever   (12.09.12)
Olmert feels he should be the PM right now not Bibi and he just can't get even get a foot in the door with the collapse of Kadima and their party lists being chosen. He had talks with Livni about the possibility of joining her although looks like he was unwilling to agree to her terms and its to late to form his own party now and I have a feeling with Kadima gone election after this coming one nobody will want anything to do with him. He probably does legitimately believe he was the best PM in the countries history. If he hadn't been wrongly forced out of power we would now have peace treaties with Abbas & Assad and of course the Nobel Prize that comes as part of the package. Best of all he would be $500,000 richer because along with the award Nobel Prize winners get $500,000. So that money wouldn't even need to come in a brown envelope.
40. So it is confirmed
Ivor Evenbiggergun   (12.09.12)
Israel is currently being run by National Socialists who have embarked on a war of expansion. More commonly called Zionists.
41. #15
Madeleine ,   Israel   (12.09.12)
How about a PM who has a special relationship with the Israeli people? Olmert was just about the worst prime minister ever and if Abbas hadn't walked away from hi offer, Israel today would be decimated. "Special relationship" with Abbas and Morsi" indeed!!!
42. According to Olmert any opinions other than his are radical
Jrebecca ,   modiin   (12.09.12)
Neither Bibi nor Liberman can be considered Radical right. At most, moderately right wing.
43. #36 correction
israel israeli ,   tel aviv   (12.09.12)
So Olmerd was not 100% a failure? Perhaps. But under his rule, Israel lost two wars. Lebanon II was a complete government failure that left Israel weak and Hezbollah strengthened. Nasrallah's silence came because he was consolidating his rule in Lebanon, no other reason. Cast Lead could have been a brilliant victory. However, Olmerd stopped it short because despite his "cultivating friendly relations with US and Europe", declared intent to ethnically cleanse Judea, Samaria, Golan and Jerusalem of Jews and allow massive Arab immigration into Israel, he was under massive international pressure. Read this again: Olmerd completely accepted the Arab narrative, agreed to PLO/US/Europe dictates and yet was still condemned for defending Jewish children from the genocidal Hamas.
44. #3 Shalom: Why should he "shut up"?
David ,   Israel   (12.09.12)
Let's not forget that with all his failings, he hit Hezbollah and even Nasrallah got a shock on how hard Israel's response was! He is STILL in a bunker! Then Operation Cast Lead went on for 22 days before the US and others, as they did in the Lebanon War II, put pressure on Israel. There were no victory celebrations with Khaled Mashaal arriving say they will kill the Zionists! He stayed in Syria, too scared to poke his nose outside! The south had two years of quiet. Netanyahu caved to international pressure after 8 days. The Palestinians are laughing at Israel and Mashaal is in Gaza fir the first time and Netanyahu has failed TWICE, once in Jordan and now, to take him out! So, while Olmert certainly was not exactly "honest" and possiblly should be in jail, one wonders who, from the best interests of Israel point of view, who is the real leader? We will only know when the first missile lands on Sderot or Tel Aviv or when Israel alienates the few friends that we have left!
45. Career
michael Pielet ,   israel   (12.09.12)
Olmert is making a career of inciting against Israel, hurting Israel. He is supported by the israeli media who propagates his message of hate.
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