Ehud Olmert
צילום: ישראל הדרי
Olmert attacked in synagogue
Worshipper calls finance minister a "criminal"; Synagogue's manager apologizes to minister, calls heckler "simpleton"
The traumas and rage resulting from the disengagement were felt by Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on a Yom Kippur prayer service in synagogue.
Olmert, who annually attends a Jerusalem synagogue on the Day of Atonement, was invited to open the Holy Ark by the synagogue's manager.
While the service appeared to be running smoothly, a storm erupted after the prayer of Kol Nidrei.
At the end of the prayer, the manager notified the congregation on future prayer times, and welcomed the minister. During the speech, one of the worshippers got up and told Olmert: "You evacuated my family from Gush Katif, you are a criminal."
The manager attempted to silence the man, calling him a "simpleton," and apologized to Olmert. The congregation, breaking tradition, applauded, and many shook Olmert's hand. Olmert for his part did not react to the incident.
Ehud Olmert was one of the first to back the prime minister's disengagement plan, and spoke of the need of a further unilateral pullout. He was asked to become finance minister after Benjamin Netanyahu quit the post on the eve of the disengagement.
