Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., March 28, 2008 Adar2 22, 5768 | | Israel Time: 09:46 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 10:47 27/03/2008 The man without substance By Ari Shavit Tags: Ehud Olmert, Israel Ehud Olmert has many good qualities. The prime minister is a good friend to his comrades, a devoted father to his children, and is loyal to his followers. He is not brilliant, but he is intelligent. He is not profound, but he is pragmatic. Energetic, diligent and levelheaded. Olmert has many of the traits required of a decision maker. He also has a virtuoso ability to create networks of power, reinforce them and activate them in times of need. Olmert is a gifted and multifaceted politician. He knows how to be charming and how to be threatening, to play a man of the world but also to relate to ordinary people. It is doubtful if there is anyone in Israel with more connections. It is doubtful if there is anyone like him who knows how to woo the powerful and pal around with criminals. And nevertheless, the prime minister has one shortcoming that overshadows all his good qualities: The man lacks substance. He has no worldview and no overall picture of reality. He has no ethical foundations and no structural principles. Olmert has no core. He has no Tablets of Stone. In the most profound sense, he does not know where he came from and where he is going. That is why today he can say the opposite of what he said yesterday, without batting an eyelash. Advertisement Nor does he have any difficulty saying one thing and doing another. Since he is guided by litigation rather than the truth, the prime minister is capable of changing his skin and changing his policy like a chameleon. That is why he is a serial exploiter of opportunities and a brilliant survivor, but a hopeless shaper of reality. As a captain without direction and without a compass, Olmert stretches his opportunism to the absurd and his pragmatism to the point of losing the way. He arouses passions and engages in sleight of hand and is occasionally hypnotic, but in his 40 years in politics he has not left any mark. Even in his two years as prime minister he has not done anything genuine. These were two important years during which Israel's prime minister was supposed to strengthen the country before the major historic test of the end of the decade. During these years he was supposed to pursue peace and prepare for war. To prepare the ground for dividing the country and prepare people's hearts for a struggle for the country. To stop Iran, test Syria and exhaust Hamas. To establish Israel's legitimacy as a Jewish and democratic nation state. To restore to Israel the qualities of a country characterized by excellence. To rehabilitate statesmanship and renew meaningfulness. To provide the state with diplomatic tools, national pride and a sense of direction. Olmert did none of this. He promised convergence, and changed his mind. He promised an end to the conflict, and disappointed us. He failed in the Second Lebanon War and failed to understand its significance. He did something, but not enough, on the crucial issue of Iran. He is losing precious time before entering negotiations with Syria, he did not formulate an overall and consistent strategy vis-a-vis Hamas and did not prepare the country for a future evacuation of the settlements. He did not spur the nation to stand behind the Israel Defense Forces and strengthen them. So as far as foreign affairs and security are concerned, the prime minister has stagnated over the past two years. But as far as domestic affairs and society are concerned, Olmert caused tremendous damage. He did not carry out the necessary revolution in the school system. He brought about a destructive revolution in the justice system, surrendered unconditionally to Shas, encouraged centralization in the economy and accepted the widening gaps in society. Under Olmert, Israel has become a reckless country that abandons the weak and helpless. Mutual responsibility has been eroded, social justice has been trampled. Corruption has become widespread. In another country or another period it may have been possible to be more forgiving of the failures of the 12th prime minister. After all, he is still a neophyte. Maybe he will learn. Look, according to foreign sources, he has learned how to make decisions in the area of national security. According to economic sources, he is leading the economy in a reasonable manner. Not everything is black. Nor have the worrisome suspicions of personal corruption been proven. But in this country in this period being forgiving toward the government is a luxury. Israel today needs excellence in every area; most of all in the area of leadership. Olmert lacks this excellence. Nor will he ever have it. Even if he makes an effort to rehabilitate himself, a person without substance cannot rehabilitate what he does not have in himself. A person without a core cannot navigate toward peace and cannot withstand a war. A person without moral authority cannot be a leader in a time of trial. Therefore, although Olmert is a good guy and a good friend, he does not belong in the Prime Minister's Office. Two more critical years of Olmert at the helm means a dangerous gamble. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Graphic footage Israel posts clips on YouTube of Jerusalem yeshiva terror attack. Remembering Gaza Knesset approves bill to commemorate the Jewish settlements of Gush Katif.   1.   it is acondition of political power that weak men follow strong l 11:14  |  v hardman 27/03/08   2.   WHERE HE BELONG TO? 11:29  |  indrajaya 27/03/08   3.   Who should be in the PM`s office? 12:32  |  Harry 27/03/08   4.   The Israeli Core? 13:00  |  Patrick Warner 27/03/08   5.   Now when will he write about Haaretz without substance 13:11  |  nate 27/03/08   6.   Next PM 13:13  |  Rozz 27/03/08   7.   What about your Tablets of Stone Ari Shavit? 13:47  |  Proud Israeli 27/03/08   8.   perfect description of olmert 14:11  |  alex 27/03/08   9.   Rozz 14:13  |  Brian 27/03/08   10.   A Bankrupted Prime Minister who won`t let go.... 14:38  |  Dolly 27/03/08   11.   To Harry # 3 - The same old sickning cry..... 15:03  |  Dagma 27/03/08   12.   Ari, you got carried away...but... 15:19  |  Buzaglow 27/03/08   13.   To indrajaya # 2 - Where does Olmert belong? 15:42  |  Onlooker 27/03/08   14.   Ehud Olmert 16:06  |  james biglane 27/03/08   15.   BRAVO ! Thia is one of the finest op-eds I have read in Haaretz. 16:09  |  Fortuna Benmayor 27/03/08   16.   ARI SHAVIT 16:38  |  LJF-CANADA 27/03/08   17.   Reply to Indrajaya (Post No. 2) 16:57  |  Johnny Weintraub 27/03/08   18.   Wrong -Olmert represents the Israeli or ME insanity 17:14  |  Sal 27/03/08   19.   Brilliant article 17:47  |  Robert Haymond 27/03/08   20.   What Nonesense! Olmert is the best Prime Minster since `67 19:16  |  Simeon 27/03/08   21.   A Good Post and most generous to Olmert 20:14  |  Dagma 27/03/08   22.   olmert 20:30  |  alex 27/03/08   23.   olmert 20:40  |  ori 27/03/08   24.   agree but 20:58  |  lora 27/03/08   25.   OLMERT 20:58  |  JOJO (USA) 27/03/08   26.   all bow to King Olmert the man who will destroy the country 22:15  |  zionist forever 27/03/08   27.   a new solution 22:25  |  mack 27/03/08   28.   Olmert - Man without substance 22:36  |  Oskar Prager 27/03/08   29.   ONE MAN cant solve THE MISTAKES OF 5768 YEARS 22:51  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 27/03/08   30.   #15-19 00:15  |  GPWS1 28/03/08   31.   Olmert needs to resign he has hurt Israel in to many ways 00:44  |  Kipperraes 28/03/08   32.   He`s a "good guy" only at passing and taking bribes. 00:45  |  Chaim 28/03/08   33.   It`s all a question of choreography... 00:57  |  Esther 28/03/08   34.   Good Guy? 01:16  |  Brod 28/03/08   35.   Lack of response 09:15  |  JW 28/03/08   36.   OLMERT MUST RESIGN BECAUSE HE IS A DEFEATIST 09:33  |  ROB GOTTESMAN 28/03/08

Today Online Israel posts clips on YouTube of Jerusalem yeshiva terror attack Responses: 47 Rights group: Deaths in IDF W. Bank raid were apparent executions Responses: 220 Top rabbis: Harvesting organs of the brain dead is `bloodshed` Responses: 65 Defense officials: Hezbollah rockets can reach almost all of Israel Responses: 205 Rosner's Domain New pro-Israel-pro-peace dovish lobby ready to launch (WTR) Bush is still determined not to repeat Clinton's mistakes Poll: what percentage Jews will vote McCain? Obama rejects advisor's comments on American Jews and peace process Kurtzer: The pro-Israel lobby, not obstacle for peace More Headlines 09:22 Hamas smuggles Iranian blueprints into Gaza for Qassam upgrades 09:42 Ben-Eliezer: Israel working to bring Syria back to negotiations 08:59 Palestinians: Hamas militant killed in clashes with IDF in Gaza 09:00 Rice to discuss final-status talks during Mideast visit next week 09:23 Dutch MP's anti-Islam film highlights clerics' anti-Jewish preaching 07:43 Bulgaria accepts blame for deaths of 11,000 Jews in Shoah 07:46 ANALYSIS: Isolating Syria serves to highlight its importance 06:30 Scientists find prescription drugs in water used for irrigation 06:51 Police grill minister over junket funded by agricultural firm 01:29 Lieberman stripped of attorney-client privilege in bribery probe 01:37 Israeli ties to win top prize in prestigious Rubinstein competition 23:08 Druze colonel appointed to be president's next military secretary 00:31 Tel Aviv goes dark as part of global 'Earth Hour' campaign Previous Editions Select Day 27 mar 26 mar 25 mar 24 mar 23 mar 21 mar 20 mar 19 mar 18 mar 17 mar 16 mar 14 mar

Special Offers Advertisement NEW! Dan Boutique Jerusalem Hotel Hip Dan Hotel in Jerusalem. Attractive Introductory Rates Pardes Institute Summer Sessions Study Jewish texts and issues in Jerusalem, Co-ed, All Levels FAREWELL ISRAEL New Film The Coming War for Islamic Revival - View Movie Trailer Free the Palestinians from: Corrupt Kleptocracy, Tyrannical Theocracy, Abysmal Anarchy Long-term Israel programs MASA is your gateway. More programs. More grants. 7589 rockets fired so far HELP US TO HELP THEM Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved