Israelis To Olmert: Quit Already

150,000 flocked to Rabin Square in Tel Aviv calling on Olmert to resign. They've got good reason to get angry over how Olmert has performed. He's put Israeli national security at risk with his indecisiveness and the Defense Ministry is no better. It goes beyond the situation with Hizbullah, but includes the poor response to the firing of rockets from Gaza into Israel - especially Sderot.

"The Winograd Committee that the prime minister established has courageously stood up to him and said clearly - Mr. Olmert, you failed," said Dayan.

"The prime minister is refusing to accept personal responsibility and resign, and is therefore undermining the foundations of democracy," Dayan continued. "Olmert, don't stall for time, don't delay the end until the summer, do the right thing and go home."

"I came to protest against the government for not doing anything," said Tal Geva, a student at Sderot's Sapir College and a resident of the borderline community of Ein Habesor. "For not implementing the Winograd conclusions, for not taking care of Sderot and other Gaza-area residents properly, for not providing us with reinforced buildings, and for sending us to reserve duty and then not taking care of us."

"We're here to tell Olmert ... to go," protestor Yigal Armoni said at the demonstration. "He's on the edge of a cliff. All he needs is a small push, but tonight we'll give him a big one."

Not everyone was happy with the rally though, and that's from the far left - they think that there weren't sufficient alternatives. I think surrendering to Islamists isn't the way to go, but Peace Now thinks differently. They think concessions and appeasement will work.


Binyamin Netanyahu has it right - those who caused the mess can't be entrusted with fixing the problems. Israel needs new leadership alright, but I'm not sure Netanyahu is the right choice either. I think he's a much stronger foreign minister candidate than a prime minister. Livni admits she considered resigning, but decided against it. She's thinking that she might be a leading candidate for prime minister, so she's got to think what might keep the faith with Kadima without alienating everyone else.

Olmert was none too pleased with the possibility of being kneecapped by Livni and considered giving Livni the boot himself, but Olmert will keep her on as long as they're on the same page with policy.

Carl in Jerusalem's wife picked up a report where Olmert was comparing himself to Begin and the risks Begin took in going after the Iraqi nuclear facility in Osirak. Sorry, but Olmert isn't in the same league. He's not even in the same sport as Begin. Begin knew the risks, knew what Israeli capabilities were, and maximized Israeli national security as a result of his decisions to eliminate Iraq's nuclear reactor before it went online.

Olmert is a polar opposite. He didn't understand the risks of allowing Hamas and Hizbullah to have free reign of territory from which they could launch rockets and attacks into Israel.