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8
January 12 • 2006
Some say Olmert's success hinges
t wasn't the first time I'd
on keeping Shimon Peres from bolt-
been searched by an
ing back to Labor; others say it .
armed Israeli guard, but it
banks on whether Ehud Barak leaves
was the first time I was patted
Labor for Kadima.
down by one outside a suite in
Some argue Olmert's not a war
the Townsend Hotel in
hero, and he's too arrogant to get
Birmingham.
elected.
Then-Jerusalem Mayor
Sitting on a comfortable couch
Ehud Olmert was in town for a Harry Kirs baum
Column ist
with an unlit cigar in a large ashtray
fund-raising dinner, and I was
next to him, I found Olmert confi-
invited to chat with him on a
dent, not arrogant.
clear day in November 2000.
The 1993 Oslo peace talks were in the
Even then, the career politician had his
final stage of collapse after we saw the
eyes on the prime minister's office.
image of Barak trying to force Palestinian
Ehud Barak was prime minister, an
Chariman Yassir Arafat through that Camp
Israeli election was gearing up and the
David door in 2000, with President Clinton
Likud Party was close to a deadlock
helping.
between Benjamin Netanyahu and Ariel
"I can't say that the responsibility lies
Sharon.
with
Barak;' Olmert said back then. "Barak
Olmert believed that a deadlocked party
inherited
the situation in 1999, only a year
could turn to him as a compromise choice.
and a half ago. I warned him right at the
beginning that his whole strategy of trying
to build up the process according to the
political timetable in America — not
according to the realities and dynamics of
the Middle East — is a terrible mistake!'
Putting the blame for the violence in
Israel squarely on Arafat, Olmert said no
easy answers exist to quell it, especially in
Jerusalem. The Palestinian Authority must
not administer Jerusalem, he told me that
day, be'cause doing so would inevitably cre-
ate a confrontation that may lead to hostili-
ties.
Olmert may have supported disengage-
Harry Kirsbaum and Ehud Olmert
ment
from Gaza, but disengagement from
during a 2000 interview
east Jerusalem would be a different story.
The days ahead will be difficult for Israel,
"Whether I want to be a senior minister
and
a political minefield for Olmert, but
in the cabinet or the prime minister, or to
polls
released on Jan. 8 showed a slight edg-
do what I do now, which I consider almost
ing
up
in Israeli confidence in Olmert.
have to
as important as being PM
According
to a Haaretz.com poll on Jan.
make up my mind," he said.
8,"28
percent
of Israelis consider Olmert
We all know what happened after that:
best
qualified
for the prime ministership,
Sharon broke the deadlock and became
followed
by
Shimon
Peres, also of Kadima,
prime minister.
and
Likud
candidate
Benjamin Netanyahu,
Olmert was elected to the Knesset in
with
23
percent
each.
Labor Party candidate
January 2003, then replaced Netanyahu,
Amir
Peretz
trailed
in
the poll, with 16 per-
who resigned as finance minister in August
cent.
Another
10
percent
of respondents
2005 over the Gaza disengagement. Olmert
declined
to
state
a
choice."
became deputy prime minister during
While Ariel Sharon struggles for his life,
Sharon's second term.
his
political career has come to an end.
Five years after our interview, Olmert
Sooner
or later, we'll stop reminiscing
finds himself acting prime minister until
about
the
career
of the Bulldog, and set our
the March 28 elections are over.
sights
on
who
will
be the next leader of the
Some pundits in Israel and the United
only
true
democracy
in the Middle East.
States say that he doesn't have what it takes
The
world
is
watching.
717
to lead his country He doesn't have the
political support to keep the newly formed
Kadima Party the political juggernaut it was Harry Kfrsbaum's e-mail address is
hkirsbaum@thejewishnews.com .
under Sharon's leadership.