Off With Olmert’s Head!
The old saying goes -- two Jews, three opinions.
But Israelis, left, right, and center all seem to agree on one thing following the publication of the damning Winograd Interim Report (full text is here)into the mismanagement of the second Lebanon War. They've had enough of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. His pleas yesterday to be allowed to learn from his mistakes have persuaded no one to trust him to wage the next one.
As the first Israeli cabinet minister resigned this morning, Labor Party's Eitan Cabel, calling on the Prime Minister to follow his lead, cries for his head are even coming from within Olmert's own Kadima party.
The Israeli blogosphere agrees. Big time.
“Ehud Olmert. Go home. You utterly failed and betrayed the people of Israel and the House of Israel in its hour of need. Take Amir Peretz with you. We are a nation of heroes. You lead a government of craven cowards.” (Israel At Level Ground)
“Kassams are falling, the Syrians are giving off only mildly ambiguous war signals and the Iranians are regularly threatening Israel’s destruction. Maybe the report will spur Olmert into intelligent action; most likely, and regretably, we have painful months of squirming ahead of us as Israel goes slowly towards new leadership. Olmert, have some dignity and quit while you are behind.” (Jewlicious)
“Why does he refuse to resign? What about the job can still be so appealing to him? The power? Nobody will take him seriously anymore? The respect of other world leaders? He must know they probably realize he is on the way out and are already planning for post-Olmert.” (Life in Israel)
And this Jew says: “Go home, Olmert, before you cause any more problems!!”