Ehud Olmert
Ehud Olmert
אהוד אולמרט
Prime Minister of Israel
In office
4 January 2006 – 31 March 2009
Acting to 14 April 2006*
President
Moshe Katsav
Shimon Peres
Deputy
Tzipi Livni
Preceded by
Ariel Sharon
Succeeded by Benjamin Netanyahu
Mayor of Jerusalem
In office
1993 – 2003
Preceded by
Teddy Kollek
Succeeded by Uri Lupolianski
Born
30 September 1945
(1945-09-30)
Binyamina, British Mandate
of Palestine
Political party Kadima
Spouse
Aliza Olmert
Religion
Judaism
*Under the Basic Laws of Israel, Olmert was
only the Interim Prime Minister of Israel
(distinct from both forms of Acting Prime
Ministers of Israel) from 14 April 2006 to 4 May
2006.[1]
Ehud Olmert (Hebrew: אהוד אולמרט
‎, IPA: [ɛˈhud
ˈolmeʁt]
(
listen), born 30 September 1945)
is an Israeli political figure, and former Prime
Minister of Israel having served from 2006 to
2009. Olmert was the mayor of Jerusalem
from 1993 to 2003. In 2003 he was elected to
the Knesset and became a minister and Act-
ing Prime Minister in the government of
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. On 4 January
2006,
after Sharon suffered a severe
hemorrhagic stroke, Olmert began exercising
the powers of the office of Prime Minister.
Olmert led Kadima to a victory in the March
2006 elections (just two months after Sharon
had suffered his stroke) and continued on as
Acting Prime Minister. On 14 April, two
weeks after the election, Sharon was de-
clared permanently incapacitated, allowing
Olmert to legally become Interim Prime Min-
ister. Less than a month later, on 4 May,
Olmert and his new, post-election govern-
ment were approved by the Knesset, thus
Olmert officially became Prime Minister of
Israel.
As Prime Minister, Olmert continued many
of Sharon’s policies, such as actively support-
ing the road map for peace and the two-state
solution. Olmert and his government enjoyed
healthy relations with the Fatah-led Palestini-
an National Authority, which culminated in
November 2007 at the Annapolis Conference.
On the other hand, during his tenure as
Prime Minister, there were major military
conflicts with both Hezbollah and Hamas
(predominately in the Gaza Strip). Olmert
and Minister of Defense Amir Peretz were
heavily criticized for their handling of the
2006 Lebanon War. In late 2008, a ceasefire
between Hamas and Israel ended, which led
to the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict to
erupt. Olmert declared that the Israeli De-
fense Force would target the Hamas leader-
ship and infrastructure in the war.
Throughout his premiership, Olmert was
accused of corruption. Facing a challenge for
the leadership of Kadima from Foreign Minis-
ter Tzipi Livni, on 30 July 2008, Olmert an-
nounced that he would not seek re-election
as party leader and that he would resign
from his position as Prime Minister immedi-
ately after a new Kadima leader was named.
Livni won the contest and sought to form a
new government in September of that year.
However, Livni’s attempts at forming a new
government were unsuccessful and instead
an election was scheduled for February 2009.
On February 20th, Israeli President, Shimon
Peres, chose Benjamin Netanyahu to become
the new Prime Minister and asked him to
form a Coalition Government, after there was
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ehud Olmert
1
no clear victory in the elections. Netanyahu
succeeded Olmert on 31 March 2009.
Biography
Youth and military service
Born near Binyamina in the British Mandate
of Palestine, Ehud Olmert is a graduate of the
Hebrew University of Jerusalem with degrees
in psychology, philosophy and law.
According to Olmert, his parents, Bellah
and Mordechai escaped "persecution
in
Ukraine and Russia and found sanctuary in
Harbin, China. They emigrated to Israel to
fulfill their dream of building a Jewish and
democratic state living in peace in the land of
our ancestors."[2] Olmert’s childhood in-
cluded membership in the Beitar Youth Or-
ganization and dealing with the fact that his
parents were often blacklisted and alienated
due to their affiliation with the Jewish militia
group the Irgun. They were also part of Her-
ut, the opposition to the long-ruling Mapai
party. However, by the 1970s this was prov-
ing less detrimental to one’s career than dur-
ing the 1950s, and Olmert succeeded in
opening a successful
law partnership in
Jerusalem.
Olmert served with the Israel Defense
Forces in the Golani combat brigade.[3] While
in service he was injured and temporarily re-
leased. He underwent many treatments, and
later completed his military duties as a journ-
alist for the IDF magazine BaMahane. During
the Yom Kippur War he joined the headquar-
ters of Ariel Sharon as a military correspond-
ent. Already a member of the Knesset, he de-
cided to go through an officer’s course in
1980 at the age of 35.
MK and Minister
In 1966, during the Gahal party convention (a
predecessor to today’s Likud), party leader
Menachem Begin was challenged by the
young Ehud Olmert, who called for his resig-
nation. Begin announced that he would retire
from party leadership, but soon reversed his
decision when the crowd emotionally pleaded
with him to stay.
Olmert was first elected to the Knesset in
1973 at the age of 28 and was re-elected sev-
en consecutive times. Between 1981 and
1989, he served as a member of the Foreign
Affairs and Defense Committee and served on
the Finance, Education and Defense Budget
Committees. He served as Minister without
Portfolio, responsible for minority affairs
between 1988 and 1990, and as Minister of
Health from 1990 until 1992. Following
Likud’s defeat in the 1992 election, instead of
remaining a Knesset member in the opposi-
tion, he successfully ran for Mayor of Jerus-
alem in November 1993.
Mayor of Jerusalem
Bronze plate situated in the Wire Opera
House in Curitiba, Brazil, commemorating
Olmert’s visit as Mayor of Jerusalem
Between 1993 and 2003, Olmert served two
terms as Mayor of Jerusalem, the first mem-
ber of Likud or its precursors to hold the pos-
ition. During his term in office, he devoted
himself to the initiation and advancement of
major projects in the city, the development
and improvement of the education system,
and the development of road infrastructure.
He also spearheaded the development of the
light rail system in Jerusalem, and the invest-
ment of millions of shekels in the develop-
ment of mass transportation options for the
city.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ehud Olmert
2
While Mayor of Jerusalem, Olmert was an
invited speaker at an international conflict
resolution conference held in Derry in North-
ern Ireland. In his address, he spoke of how
"Political leaders can help change the psy-
chological climate which affects the quality of
relationships among people." His speech con-
cluded with reflections on the importance of
political process in overcoming differences:
"How are fears born? They are born because
of differences in tradition and history; they
are born because of differences in emotional,
political and national circumstances. Because
of such differences, people fear they cannot
live together. If we are to overcome such
fear, a credible and healthy political process
must be carefully and painfully developed. A
political process that does not aim to change
the other or to overcome differences, but that
allows each side to live peacefully in spite of
their differences."[4]
Designated Acting Prime
Minister
Olmert was elected as a member of the six-
teenth Knesset in January 2003. He served as
the head of the election campaign for Likud
in the elections, and subsequently was the
chief negotiator of the coalition agreement.
Following the elections he was appointed as
Designated Acting Prime Minister and Minis-
ter of Industry, Trade and Labor. From
2003-2004, he also served as Minister of
Communications.
On 7 August 2005, Olmert was appointed
acting Finance Minister, replacing Benjamin
Netanyahu, who had resigned in protest
against the planned Israeli withdrawal from
the Gaza Strip.[5]
Olmert, who had originally opposed with-
drawing from land captured in the Six-Day
War, and who had voted against the Camp
David Peace Accords in 1978, is a vocal sup-
porter of the Gaza pullout. After his appoint-
ment, Olmert said:
"I voted against Menachem Begin, I
told him it was a historic mistake,
how dangerous it would be, and so
on and so on. Now I am sorry he is
not alive for me to be able to pub-
licly recognize his wisdom and my
mistake. He was right and I was
wrong. Thank God we pulled out of
the Sinai."[6]
When Sharon announced his leaving the
Likud and the formation of a new party,
Kadima, Olmert was one of the first to join
him.
Acting Prime Minister
On 4 January 2006, as the designated Acting
Prime Minister, Olmert became Acting Prime
Minister as a result of the serious stroke
suffered by then Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
This occurred after consultations took place
between Cabinet Secretary Yisrael Maimon
and Attorney General Menachem Mazuz,
whom declared Sharon "temporarily incap-
able to carry out the duties of his office",
while only officially in office. Then, Olmert
and the cabinet reaffirmed in an announced,
that the 28 March elections would be held as
scheduled.
During the days following the stroke,
Olmert met with Shimon Peres and other
Sharon supporters to try to convince them to
stay with Kadima, rather than return to Likud
or, in Peres’ case, Labor. On 16 January 2006
Olmert was elected chairman of Kadima, and
Kadima’s candidate for Prime Minister in the
upcoming election.[7] In his first major policy
address after becoming caretaker Prime Min-
ister, on 24 January 2006 Olmert stated that
he backed the creation of a Palestinian state,
and that Israel would have to relinquish parts
of the West Bank to maintain its Jewish ma-
jority. At the same time, he said, "We firmly
stand by the historic right of the people of Is-
rael to the entire Land of Israel."[8] In a num-
ber of interviews he also introduced his con-
vergence plan.
On 7 March 2006, it was disclosed that an
inquiry was being carried out on the 1999
sale and lease-back of Olmert’s Jerusalem
house, which allegedly was done on financial
terms very favorable to Olmert,
in what
would amount to an illegal campaign contri-
bution and/or bribe.[9] A criminal investiga-
tion regarding the matter was formally
launched on 24 September 2007.[10]
In the election, Kadima won 29 seats,
making it the largest party. On 6 April Olmert
was officially asked by President Moshe Kat-
sav to form a government. Olmert had an ini-
tial period of 28 days to form a governing co-
alition, with a possible two-week extension.
On 11 April the Israeli Cabinet deemed that
Sharon was incapacitated. The 100-day re-
placement deadline was extended due to the
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ehud Olmert
3
Jewish festival of Passover, and a provision
was made that, should Sharon’s condition im-
prove between 11 April and 14 April, the de-
claration would not take effect. Therefore,
the official declaration took effect on 14
April,
formally ending Sharon’s term as
Prime Minister and making Olmert the coun-
try’s new Interim Prime Minister in office (he
would not become the official Prime Minister
until he formed a government).
Prime Minister
Ehud Olmert and George W. Bush
On 4 May 2006 Olmert presented his new
government to the Knesset. Olmert became
Prime Minister and Minister for Welfare. The
control over Welfare Ministry was expected
to be given to United Torah Judaism if it
would join the government. The post was
later given to Labor’s Isaac Herzog.
On 24 May 2006 Olmert was invited to ad-
dress a joint session of the U.S. Congress.[11]
He stated that his government would proceed
with the disengagement plan if it could not
come to agreement with the Palestinians.
Olmert was the third Israeli Prime Minister
to have been invited to speak at a joint ses-
sion of Congress.
Following
the
2006
Lebanon War,
Olmert’s popularity ratings fell, and on 15
September 2006, former chief of staff Moshe
Ya’alon publicly stated that Olmert should
resign. In May 2007, Olmert’s approval rat-
ing fell to 3 percent,[12] and he became the
subject of a Google Bomb for the Hebrew for
"miserable failure".[13]
On 9 December 2006 Olmert stated that
he could not rule out the possibility of a milit-
ary attack against Iran, and called for the in-
ternational community to step up action
against the country. He called Iranian Presid-
ent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s
repeated
threats
to
destroy
Israel
"absolutely
Ehud Olmert meets with Condoleezza Rice
and Mahmoud Abbas
criminal", and said that he expected "more
dramatic steps to be taken."
In an interview with German TV network
Sat.1 on 11 December 2006, he appeared to
include Israel in a list of nuclear powers, a
statement which his office has characterised
as an unintentional mistake in translation. He
has nonetheless come under harsh criticism
from both ends of the Israeli political spec-
trum due to the perceived threat to Israel’s
policy of ambiguity regarding its nuclear
status.[14][15]
On 2 May 2007, the Winograd Commission
accused Olmert of failing to properly manage
the 2006 Lebanese War,[16] which prompted
a mass rally of over 100,000 people calling
for his resignation.[17]
Olmert welcomed the Arab League’s 2007
re-endorsement of the Arab Peace Initiative.
Olmert wrote in The Guardian newspaper
that Israel was ready to make "painful con-
cessions" to achieve peace with the Palestini-
ans. "I take the offer of full normalization of
relations between Israel and the Arab world
seriously; and I am ready to discuss the Arab
peace initiative in an open and sincere man-
ner. Working with our Jordanian and Egyp-
tian partners, and hopefully other Arab
states, we must pursue a comprehensive
peace with energy and vision.... But the talks
must be a discussion, not an ultimatum."[18]
On 4 November 2007, he declared Israel’s
intention to negotiate with the Palestinians
about all issues, stating, "Annapolis will be
the jumping-off point for continued serious
and in-depth negotiations, which will not
avoid any issue or ignore any division that
has clouded our relations with the Palestinian
people for many years."[19] On 29 November
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ehud Olmert
4
2007, he warned of the end of Israel in case a
two-state solution is not eventually found for
the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. "If the day
comes when the two-state solution collapses,
and we face a South African-style struggle for
equal voting rights (also for the Palestinians
in the territories), then, as soon as that hap-
pens, the State of Israel is finished," Olmert
said on the last day of the Annapolis Confer-
ence. "The Jewish organizations, which were
our power base in America, will be the first
to come out against us," Olmert said, "be-
cause they will say they cannot support a
state that does not support democracy and
equal voting rights for all its residents."[20]
Rocket and mortar attacks by Palestinian
militants from the Hamas-controlled Gaza
Strip
on
Israel
occurred
frequently
throughout the Spring and Summer of 2008
until a ceasefire was agreed to between Ha-
mas and Israel in June. Rocket attacks in-
creased sharply in November after an Israeli
raid on an Hamas-built smuggling tunnel.[21]
The ceasefire expired in December 2008 and
negotiations stalled between the two parties
to renew the ceasefire. On 24 December, the
Negev was hit by more than 60 mortar shells
and Katyusha and Qassam rockets, and the
IDF was given a green light to operate.[22]
Hamas claimed to have fired a total of 87
rockets and mortar rounds that day at Israel,
code-naming
the
firing
"Operation Oil
Stain".[23] On 25 December, Olmert delivered
a ’last minute’ warning to Gaza in direct ap-
peal to Gaza’s people via the Arabic language
satellite channel al-Arabiya, to pressure their
leaders to stop the barrages. "I am telling
them now, it may be the last minute, I’m
telling them stop it. We are stronger," he
said.[24] The attacks did not stop and Israel
launched its military operation, codenamed
Operation Cast Lead, on the morning of 27
December, when more than 50 fighter jets
and attack helicopters began to bomb stra-
tegic targets. Air strikes continued for days,
when on 3 January 2009 the IDF began a
ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.
The UN Security Council passed a resolu-
tion on 8 January 2009 calling for an immedi-
ate ceasefire to the hostilities in the Gaza
Strip. It passed 14-0-1, with one abstention
from the United States. Olmert told report-
ers, "[U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice] was left shamed. A resolution that she
prepared and arranged, and in the end she
did not vote in favor. In the night between
Thursday and Friday, when the Secretary of
State wanted to lead the vote on a ceasefire
at the Security Council, we did not want her
to vote in favor. I said ’get me President Bush
on the phone’. They said he was in the middle
of giving a speech in Philadelphia. I said I
didn’t care. ’I need to talk to him now’. He
got off the podium and spoke to me. I told
him the United States could not vote in favor.
It cannot vote in favor of such a resolution.
He immediately called the Secretary of State
and told her not to vote in favor."[25] When
asked about the comments a White House
spokesman said that Olmert’s version of
events were "inaccurate".[26] The war finally
finished on 18 January 2009. A day before, Is-
raeli officials announced a unilateral cease-
fire, without an agreement with Hamas. In a
press conference,
Israeli Prime Minister
Olmert declared the ceasefire effective that
night, at 0000 GMT on the 18th January.
Stepping down
On 30 July 2008 Olmert announced that he
would not contest the Kadima party leader-
ship election in September, and would resign
from office once his party elects a new lead-
er.[27][28] In his resignation speech, he ad-
dressed the cases of corruption of which he is
being accused, saying he is "proud to be a
citizen of a country in which a Prime Minister
can be investigated like any other citizen,"
but also stated he "was forced to defend
[himself] from ceaseless attacks by the self-
appointed soldiers of justice, who sought to
oust [him] from [his] position."[28] The move
has been interpreted as signaling the end of
Olmert’s political career.[29]
Many politicians across the political spec-
trum praised Olmert’s decision to resign.
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said "the person-
al decision was not simple, but it was a cor-
rect one. Kadima must continue to act in a
way that will preserve its unity and ability to
lead."[30] Defense Minister and Labor party
leader Ehud Barak called Olmert’s announce-
ment "a proper and responsible decision
made at the right time."[30] Opposition lead-
ers called for the resignation to be followed
by general elections. Likud party leader, Ben-
jamin Netanyahu, called for snap elections:
"It doesn’t matter who heads Kadima. They
are all partners in this government’s total
failure. National responsibility requires a re-
turn to the people and new elections."[31]
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ehud Olmert
5
After Tzipi Livni won the leadership elec-
tion, Olmert officially resigned but remained
Prime Minister, according to the dictates of
the law. Even after an official resignation, he
remains in power until a new Prime Minister
is sworn in, in order to prevent a government
void [1]. Livni tried unsuccessfully to form a
new coalition government. After Livni an-
nounced she could not form the new govern-
ment, new parliamentary elections were set
for 10 February 2009, and Olmert remained
in power until after the elections, just as the
law dictates[1].
Corruption allegations
On 16 January 2007, a criminal investigation
was initiated against Olmert. The investiga-
tion focused on suspicions that during his
tenure as Finance Minister, Olmert tried to
steer the tender for the sale of Bank Leumi in
order to help Slovak-born Australian real es-
tate baron Frank Lowy, a close personal asso-
ciate.[32] Israeli Police who investigated the
case eventually concluded that the evidence
that was collected was insufficient for indict-
ment and no recommendations to press
charges were made.[33]
In April 2007 it was further alleged that,
during his office as Minister of Trade, In-
dustry and Labor, Olmert may have been
guilty of criminal behavior by taking an act-
ive part in an investment center.[34] During a
parliamentary inquest in July 2007, Olmert
flatly denied these accusations.[35]
In May 2008, it became public that Olmert
was the subject of another police investiga-
tion. The investigation concerns bribery al-
legations.[36] [37] Olmert said that he took
campaign contributions from the Jewish-
American businessman Morris
Talansky
when he was running for Mayor of Jerusalem,
leadership of the Likud and candidacy in the
Likud list for the Knesset, but resisted calls
to resign, and stated: "I never took bribes, I
never took a penny for myself. I was elected
by you, citizens of Israel, to be the Prime
Minister and I don’t intend to shirk this re-
sponsibility. If Attorney General Meni Mazuz,
decides to file an indictment, I will resign
from my position, even though the law does
not oblige me to do so."[38][39] On 23 May
National Fraud Squad investigators interrog-
ated Olmert for an hour in his Jerusalem res-
idence for a second time about corruption al-
legations. On 27 May Morris Talansky
testified in front of court that over the last 15
years he gave Olmert more than $150,000 in
cash in envelopes. On 6 September 2008 Is-
raeli police recommended that criminal
charges
should
be
brought
against
Olmert.[40]
On 26 November 2008, Attorney General
Meni Mazuz, had informed Olmert that he de-
cided to file an indictment against him in
what has come to be known as "Rishontours"
affair, pending a hearing before the attorney
general. Olmert would speak abroad on be-
half of groups such as the Yad Vashem Holo-
caust memorial, a support group for the IDF
or a charity for mentally disabled Israeli chil-
dren, Rishon Tours then billed each group for
the same trip as if they alone were paying
and placed the money in special bank ac-
count
allegedly
for Olmert’s
personal
use.[41][42] However, legally, he is presumed
innocent until the trial’s final verdict is in,
and thus may continue to perform his duties
as Prime Minister until a new Prime Minister
is sworn in.[1]
On 1 March, 2009, Attorney General Meni
Mazuz, had informed Olmert’s legal repres-
entatives, that he decided to file an indict-
ment against him in what has come to be
known as "cash envelopes" affair, pending a
hearing before the attorney general [43]
Although a frequent target of corruption
allegations, Olmert has never been convicted
of a crime.[44]
Personal life
Ehud Olmert’s wife, Aliza, is a writer of nov-
els and theater plays, as well as an artist.
Some people believe that Aliza is more left-
leaning in her politics than her husband. She
claimed to have voted for him for the first
time in 2006.[45]
The couple has four biological children
and an adopted daughter.[46] The oldest
daughter, Michal, holds a Masters in psycho-
logy and leads workshops in creative think-
ing. Their daughter Dana is a lecturer in lit-
erature at the Tel Aviv University and the ed-
itor of a literature series. She is a lesbian and
lives with her partner in Tel Aviv. Her par-
ents are accepting of her sexual orientation
and partner. Dana is active in the Jerusalem
branch of the Israeli human rights organiza-
tion Machsom Watch. In June 2006 she atten-
ded a march in Tel Aviv protesting alleged Is-
raeli complicity in the Gaza beach blast,
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ehud Olmert
6
which made her the subject of bitter criticism
from right wing personalities.[47]
Their son Shaul Olmert married an Israeli
artist and lives in New York. He is currently a
Vice President at Nickelodeon. After Shaul
had finished his military service, he signed a
petition of the Israeli left-wing organization
Yesh Gvul. He later became the spokesman of
Beitar Jerusalem, his father’s favorite football
team. This team is often associated with the
Israeli right. Ehud’s younger son Ariel, who
did not serve in the IDF, studies French liter-
ature at the Sorbonne in Paris. Shuli is their
adopted daughter. She was orphaned from
her mother at birth.
Olmert’s father Mordechai, considered a
pioneer of Israel’s land settlement and a
former member of the Second and Third
Knessets, grew up in the Chinese city of
Harbin where he led the local Betar youth
movement. Olmert’s grandfather, J.J. Olmert
settled in Harbin after fleeing post World
War-I Russia.[48] In 2004, Ehud Olmert vis-
ited China and paid his respects at the tomb
of his grandfather in Harbin. Olmert said that
his father had never forgotten his Chinese
hometown after moving to what was then the
British Mandate of Palestine, in 1933 at the
age of 22. "When he died at the age of 88, he
spoke his last words in Mandarin Chinese",
he recalled.[49]
In October 2007, Olmert announced that
he had prostate cancer. His doctors declared
it to be a minor risk.[50] In April 2009,
Olmert’s spokesman issued a statement that
determined that Olmert’s cancer deterior-
ated.
(http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/
0,7340,L-3703360,00.html)
References
[1] ^ Basic Law: The Government (2001),
Israeli parliament, the Knesset, official
translation of the law
[2] Address by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
to Joint meeting of US Congress Israel
Embassy Washington DC, 24 May 2006
[3] Israel’s Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert
Ynetnews, 31 July 2006
[4] After the flood The Guardian, 22 July
2006
[5] Netanyahu quits over Gaza pullout BBC
News, 7 August 2005
[6] Pullout Focuses Israel on Its Future The
Washington Post, 13 August 2005
[7] Kadima confirms Olmert as leader BBC
News, 16 January 2006
[8] Address by Acting PM Ehud Olmert to
the 6th Herzliya Conference Embassy of
Israe Washington DC, 24 January 2006
[9] "Israel comptroller checks Olmert’s
house purchase". Daily Times.
2006-03-07.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/
default.asp?page=2006%5C03%5C07%5Cstory_7-3-2
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[10] "Israeli police to investigate Olmert
house purchase". Reuters. 2007-09-24.
http://www.reuters.com/article/
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Retrieved on 2007-12-16.
[11]Address by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
to Joint meeting of US Congress
Complete transcript
[12]Olmert Under Fire Time
[13] Israeli Prime Minister Gets Google
Bombed - And That’s Good For Everyone
Rank Above
[14]My Way AP News
[15]PMO denies that Olmert disclosed
Israel’s nuclear hand TheJerusalem Post
[16]The Winograd Report Haaretz
[17]Roughly 100,000 people rally in Tel Aviv
to call on PM, Peretz to quit Haaretz
[18] "Olmert says wants talks on Arab peace
initiative". Reuters. 2007-06-06.
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/
idUSL0687404020070606. Retrieved on
2009-01-12.
[19] "Olmert Backs Mideast Peace
Conference". The New York Times.
2007-11-04. http://www.nytimes.com/
2007/11/05/world/middleeast/
05mideast.html?ref=world. Retrieved on
2007-11-05.
[20] "Two-state solution, or Israel is done
for". Haaretz. 2007-11-29.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/
929439.html. Retrieved on 2007-11-30.
[21]Hider, James (November 6, 2008). "Six
die in Israeli attack over Hamas ’tunnel
under border to kidnap soldier’".
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/
world/middle_east/article5089940.ece.
Retrieved on 2009-01-08.
[22] "IDF gets green light to strike Hamas
after rocket barrage". Jerusalem Post.
2008-12-27. http://www.jpost.com/
servlet/
Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFul
Retrieved on 2009-01-13.
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Ehud Olmert
7
[23] "Hamas: 87 shells fired at Israeli targets
in 24 hours". Bethlehem, PS: Ma’an
News. 2008-12-25.
http://www.maannews.net/en/
index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=34211.
Retrieved on 2009-01-03.
[24] "Olmert Delivers ’Last Minute’ Warning
to Gaza". Fox News. 2008-12-25.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/
0,2933,472856,00.html. Retrieved on
2009-01-13.
[25] "Rice shame-faced by Bush over UN
Gaza vote: Olmert". Yahoo News.
2009-01-12. http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/
20090112/pl_afp/
mideastconflictgazaolmertusrice_newsmlmmd.
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call inaccurate". Yahoo News.
2009-01-13. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/
20090113/pl_nm/
us_palestinians_israel_olmert_usa_1??.
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[27]Excerpts from Olmert’s resignation
speech Reuters
[28]^ Full text of Olmert’s resignation
speech Haaretz
[29] "Olmert to step down in September,
vows to push for peace first - Haaretz -
Israel News". http://www.haaretz.com/
hasen/spages/1007051.html. Retrieved
on 2008-07-31.
[30]^ Kadima officials fear new leader won’t
be able to form gov’t Haaretz, 31 July
2008
[31]Netanyahu calls for new Israeli elections
The Guardian, 31 July 2008
[32] "PM to face criminal investigation over
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[36]Ethan Bronner (2008-05-05). "Israeli
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[37] Israel Scandal’s LI Link, Kate Sheehy,
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[38]Olmert refuses to step down amid
corruption scandal InTheNews, 9 May
2008
[39]Olmert: I’ll resign if indicted Globes, 9
May 2008
[40] Israeli police seek criminal charges
against Olmert Reuters, 7 September
2008
[41] כתב אישום בפרשת ראשונטורס (Hebrew) News
First Class, 26 November 2008
[42]Olmert’s 100G Fraud New York Post July
12, 2008
[43]An indictment against Olmert in
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March, 2009
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[48] Israel deputy PM visits grandpa’s Harbin
grave China Daily, 26 June 2004
[49]Finding Family Roots at Harbin’s Jewish
Cemetery China Through A Lens, 14
September 2004
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ehud Olmert
8
Political offices
Preceded by
Ariel Sharon
Prime Minister of Israel
2006 – 2009
Succeeded by
Benjamin Netanyahu
Party political offices
Preceded by
Ariel Sharon
Chairman of Kadima
2006 – 2008
Succeeded by
Tzipi Livni
External links
• Ehud Olmert Knesset website
• Ehud Olmert’s biography Knesset website
(English)
• Profile: Ehud Olmert
• Ehud Olmert
• PBS Frontline/World’s piece on Ehud
Olmert
• Profile: Israel’s Prime Minister, Ehud
Olmert by Ynetnews
• 1967: Israel cannot make peace alone, op-
ed by Ehud Olmert, The Guardian 6 June
2007
Persondata
NAME
Olmert, Ehud
ALTERNATIVE
NAMES
Brog, Ehud
SHORT
DESCRIPTION
Israeli politician
DATE OF
BIRTH
30 September 1945
PLACE OF
BIRTH
Binyamina, British Man-
date of Palestine
DATE OF
DEATH
PLACE OF
DEATH
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ehud_Olmert"
Categories: Government ministers of Israel, 1945 births, Ashkenazi Jews, Hebrew University
of Jerusalem alumni, Israeli Jews, Israeli party leaders, Jews in Ottoman and British Palestine,
Jewish politicians, Living people, Mayors of Jerusalem, Former Members of the Knesset,
Prime Ministers of Israel, 21st-century former rulers
This page was last modified on 14 May 2009, at 15:55 (UTC). All text is available under the
terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details.) Wikipedia® is a
registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a U.S. registered 501(c)(3) tax-
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ehud Olmert
9