have bought off everybody to keep power in their dirty hands. Makes me sick what is happening in Israel.

and if not, why is olmert a better choice than netanyahu?

Olmert deserves another chance ? To do what ? Rob the country of even more money and then get acquitted by a sour court system? Olmert was NEVER voted as a potential Prime Minister. He took over from Sharon thats all. If he had any decency and self respect, he should retire and count himself lucky that he is not in jail where he surely belongs.

Why would someone tarnish a person with a series of epithets that could and would be true of anyone participating in the political game in Israel? A major political and economic change is needed but from all sides. Singling out one group or another says something about the person writing the comment and not the actual situation.

I can't agree more with you #3, except he deserve a jail sentence. I always think the bigest problem with democratic countries is the lack of accountibilty of the politcians.

Same manipulation as in time of Labor Party as seen today as doomed party, same fate should be sheared by all parties/ persons which are starting the old game spinning the reality and morals, with disregard to the dignity aspiration of AM ISRAEL. ISRAEL

Although not an Israeli, I am just shocked by the statement made in this piece. Beyond his corrupt dealings, Olmert was a person who made a major, critical error during his tenure. He did not realize the massive importance of the 2006 war and missed the opportunity to destroy hezbollah. Although potentially expensive in many ways, the destruction of hezbollah was possible, and should have been pursued as though there was no alternative. Had Israel destroyed hezbollah, the strategic situation for Israel would have been infinitely superior. Iran would not be near the threat it is today, and winning against fundamentalist islamic hezbollah could have even changed the course of the entire region's history. Now, Israel sits in the crosshairs of thousands of missiles, and all because of Olmert's mistake. Worse, the critical, turning point nature of the 2006 war was something that most people at the time realized -- especially the arab world, which is why all criticism of the war from the sunni arabs was incredibly muted. Everybody, that is, except for the idiot in charge of the state of Israel.

What successes can Olmert point to from his time in office? Well, I credit him with going after the Syrian reactor in 2007, and for a far better job in Cast Lead than occurred during the Lebanon War of 2006. But it was ended without finding Shalit, and with Hamas still in power. So why would anyone - aside from the Left who want *anyone* but Bibi -- want this political hack back in office? Amazingly, Barak seems to have adopted Olmert's notion of unilateral disengagement from Judea and Samaria, so Olmert isn't needed to promote that foolish policy. And the notion that "every one of the party leaders in Israel is worthy of running for the premiership" is laughable. As party leaders they're certainly entitled to dream. But what suggests any of Netanyahu's challengers has the qualities needed for the office? Yachimovich and Lapid? Don't make me laugh!

The American election is in a dead heat between Romney and Obama. If 50% of the American Electorate are willing to vote for Obama after the experience of the past 4 years, it would sadden me deeply if the Israel Electorate were as stupid. Jews are known for being highly intelligent. Surely they would never vote for Olmert again. If so, I give up on humanity.

if he had any sense, any decency, he would have gone home and would never have shown his face in public again.

..stands for and what he represents, and how he has damaged our country's moral and morale and our deteriorated security situation during his regime, AND STILL LIKE HIM are traitors and enemies of Israel. Israel has no shortage of naive and quite dumb people - it's simply enough to remember how many times the Israeli people has given Labor and Kadima several chances, while their policies ended up in massacred and butchered Israelis/Jews, while leftists in Tel Aviv took a sip from their caffe latte, ignored the rest of the country, denigrated the patriots of Israel, demonized anything Jewish/Israeli and glorified anything non Jewish/non Israeli and Arab or Moslem or anything that is considered to be "sophisticated European" in character. Our country's moral and morale was rotten to the core when Olmert was in power, people were indifferent to the corruption of Olmert and indifferent to the suffering of the people of Sderot, Tzipi ruined our country, Sharon ethnically cleansed our people from Gaza, and the enemies of Israel were pointing their rockets and missiles at us - while Olmert and Tzipi didn't do a damn thing to stop or to destroy the rocket arsenal of Hamas and Hezbollah - the Olmert regime merely passively watched the enemy rebuilding their military capabilities - and Gilad Schalit was still a prisoner during Olmert's time and we received 3 dead Israeli soldiers back from Lebanon while Israel in return freed hundreds of terrorists with Jewish blood on their hands who vowed they would continue to kill Jews. All these things happened while the God forsaken Kadima party was in power. Anyone who is even contemplating voting for Olmert is a lethal enemy of Zionism, the Jewish people and Israel. It is someone who is evil and malign and has a deliberate policy of ruining our country by placing a puppet of left wing forces of America and Europe.

Please, please, keep Olmert from running for PM or if he does, just have to hope he gets well and truly beaten. He should listen to Aliza - enough already. If he'd had his way, he would have given huge chunks of our country to the Pelstinians. We've had enough of prime ministers who are prepared to - and have done so - give our country to the terrorists.

Corruption, failure, appeasement? The return of another failed prime minister to the political scene should be cause for concern to any who cares about Israel, especially since the only alternatives seem to be washed up former television personalities. Got to wonder how much longer this state of affairs will continue...

Israel does not need any more years of this corrupt no-good lefty!

You absolutely must be joking! Olmert is making a fool of himself!

You all took the words out of my mouth. I could not agree more!!!!!

That this clown could ever have a chance at running, again, for office! Anyone who would vote for him, is as morally bankrupt as he is!

At a critical time when we need their backing and support - corruption. Putting a crook in charge will only give our country a bad image

here bibi goes. Saying he has to call elections because he can not pass a budget. People wake up bibi has a huge majority in the knesset with his coalition. so after the elections he will enter with the same people the same coalition. What will be his excuse then not to pass an austerity budget? will suddenly denmark or monaco conspire to built a nuclear bomb and only our hero bibi can prevent us from the next holocaust by what ? suspending the casic law altogether and declare himself as caesar?

The loony leftists, who largely run Israel against the people, are fine with throwing patriotic Jews in jail. They're also fine with elevating a convicted criminal to high office. Unbelievable! Olmert should be barred from politics for life.

"After being acquitted of the key charges that forced him out of office, it is clear that Olmert deserves another chance." The fact that the prosecutors could not get the job done does not mean he did not do it. It just means Olmert was very good at covering his tracks. So many people around him and involved fell, there have been so many charges against him that does not usually mean innocence. Plus he was found guilty of some of it. You must be out of your mind. Do you also believe OJ didn't kill Nicole? Also if a guy completely ignores his wife and his children's pleas not to run for office is that really the kind of person you want leading our country? a selfish person who only thinks of himself?

Anyone running for public office must have a clean police record. End of story. No to recycled failed leaders with criminal records and a history of corruption. No to Olmert, Deri, Beniszri, Ramon, Hanegbi, an others of their ilk. No to anyone who has a history of corruption and makes our country look bad.

Your idea is great, but it can only work in a country where the police and justice department are not corrupt. Take four examples: Ne'eman persecuted and tried on faked charges to prevent him from being Minister of Justice. Lieberman: crook or not? 10 years of investigations, no case no evidence. A judge forced the police to drop half their charges, yet they still investigate. Barak: evidence of greatest election funding fraud in Israel history. He refuses to cooperate, the police and AG drop the investigation after 1 week. Sharon: Edna Arbel investigates and finds hard evidence of serious corruption. Sharon agrees to destroy Gush Katif, Arbel becomes a judge, Mazuz drops the case. Instead of unaccountable courts and police deciding, we should have a free press and let the voters decide: if the Leftists are willing to vote Honest Olmert and get a coalition with Deri and Mofaz, so be it.

Olmert was one of the best PMs Israel ever had! Honestly!

so offensive talckbacks. You, Israeli brothers and sisters, must avoid radical rightism. It hurts very much your country, perhaps more than ultra leftism has done. Olmert, when he was Prime Minister, tried to make a honoured peace. Unhappily, Palestinian bad leader Arafat did not accept his moderate proposals. He was acquitted of the refered "key charges". It looks like enough. Is Israel a democratic and pluralistic country? I do believe it. Intolerance is up to Iran's Ayatullahs, Hezbollah and Hamas. Never to a State founded under good principles.

To even suggest that he should comeback to lead the centre left is completely out of the question! He is totally 100% unsuited to be prime minister again ! Don't forget he us still being tried in the holyland affair! That case stinks of corruption and crimal intent! Imagine he's elected and Ghent is forced to resign!! I don't think the country is mad enough to allow him to run!

A documented fact

attila needs to end his lovefest with the greedy corrupt traitors in our system