WORLD> Middle East
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WORLD> Middle East
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Olmert's rivals jostle for Israel's leadership
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-07-31 21:06 JERUSALEM - Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's rivals jostled for Israel's leadership on Thursday after his decision to resign, but aides said he could still stay in office long enough to forge a statehood deal with the Palestinians.
Dogged by corruption scandals, Olmert thrust Israeli politics and Middle East peace talks into turmoil on Wednesday by announcing that he would step down after a September 17 vote within his centrist Kadima party to choose a new leader. His successor may take months to cobble together a new coalition, leaving Olmert in the role of caretaker prime minister, possibly into next year. Compounding the political uncertainty, right-wing opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu called on Thursday to bring forward the date for parliamentary elections, a move that could lead to formation of a government opposed to a peace deal. An Israeli official close to Olmert, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Olmert would try to reach agreement with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas "during the time he has left," either in his current role or as caretaker leader. Analysts, nonetheless, doubt Olmert will have the political strength to make commitments, either in final-status talks with Abbas or Israel's Turkish-moderated negotiations with Syria. "Any kind of political agreement has to be approved by the cabinet and usually by the parliament, and he (Olmert) has less ability to push that through than before," said Mark Heller of the Institute for National Security Studies. Professor Gadi Wolfsfeld of Hebrew University said the notion that Olmert would forge a deal with the Palestinians was "rubbish." "Who is going to make a deal with him when they know he can't deliver? He is a lame duck," he said. |
