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Last update - 02:46 02/06/2008 Not by envelopes alone By Akiva Eldar Tags: Benjamin Netanyahu  According to a Haaretz-Dialog poll conducted last week, Likud led by Benjamin Netanyahu is the biggest beneficiary of the envelope scandal. Forty percent of those questioned listed "an upstanding character" as the most important trait of a prime ministerial candidate. The desire to ensure the security of the state came second (23 percent), and the ability to advance peace trailed along in third place (19 percent). It seems, then, that a significant share of the 35 Knesset seats that the poll forecasts for Likud - twice as many as the Labor Party and Kadima combined - would come its way thanks to its leaders' cleaner hands. It is worth mentioning, therefore, that when Morris Talansky was pampering Ehud Olmert, he was hoping to anoint him head of Likud. Even the other affairs, such as the Investments Center, are related to the period when Olmert was a member of the government as a representative of Likud. Kadima had not yet been born when Omri Sharon got entangled in his father's primary-race funds. Senior Kadima members Abraham Hirchson and Tzachi Hanegbi brought their lawsuits with them from their previous party. Likud has benefited from the chaos thanks also to the unilateral disengagement from the Gaza Strip, which paved the way for Hamas' takeover there and for missiles to fall in the heart of Ashkelon. Ariel Sharon initiated and carried out this plan under the Likud flag. Finance minister Netanyahu approved the budget for the disengagement administration; foreign minister Silvan Shalom praised the plan in the world's capitals. Education minister Limor Livnat and MK Yisrael Katz voted in favor of it in all of its readings. Only one minister, Uzi Landau, and one deputy minister, Michael Ratzon, voted against the disengagement and were summarily sent home. Advertisement Kadima has not managed to create its own political culture. In effect, to this day, it has not succeeded in leaving a mark on any sphere in which a ruling party is involved. Olmert's most important contribution, and what distinguishes him from Netanyahu (and also from Ehud Barak), is the replacement of the unilateral solution with the principle of consent. Sharon translated Barak's "no-partner" doctrine into a strategy of crushing the Palestinian Authority, eliminating the political option and the unilateral approach. Olmert brought the term "permanent arrangement" back into public discourse, and transformed Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) into a regular sight on Israelis' televisions. Too bad the peace with Syria appeared again on the agenda in the shadow of Talansky's harsh testimony. Thanks to these processes, Olmert deserves a place in the history books, not only as the person responsible for the debacle in Lebanon and as a cigar-loving political hack. It seems that Olmert will have to drop the plan to go to elections with a "shelf" agreement that would present the principles of a permanent arrangement, and with a draft of a peace agreement between Israel and Syria. Even the Palestinians have learned that when the Israelis start talking about elections, they are not willing to hear about the division of Jerusalem and the refugee problem. But if he really does believe that in the absence of a two-state solution, "the Jewish state is finished," Olmert must see to it that the next government, whatever its composition, finds Palestinian partners for that very solution. The fate of these partners is now in Olmert's hands. If he continues toying with the Egyptian outline for a cease-fire (tahadiyeh) in Gaza, one more missile striking an apartment building in Ashkelon will be enough for the government to drag the Israel Defense Forces into a blood-soaked campaign deep inside the Gaza Strip. On the other hand, a siege of 1.5 million citizens cannot last forever, and eventually will explode. In both cases, the Fatah leadership led by Abu Mazen, which is perceived as a collaborator with Israel, will emerge by the skin of its teeth. This is why Hamas' sworn enemies are supporting, if not almost begging, for Olmert to sign the tahadiyeh agreement, and to open the border crossings between the Gaza Strip and Israel. The Egyptians are hinting that they are saving the opening of the Rafah crossing for the next stage of the deal, which will include the return of abducted soldier Gilad Shalit. In addition to keeping the situation in the Gaza Strip quiet, Olmert has an additional series of means at his disposal that can enhance the status of the Palestinian partners, until the political situation in Israel is clarified. All he has to do is pull out of the drawer the list of promises he made to Abu Mazen (and to the Americans) and instruct the defense establishment to uphold them in spirit and in practice. The prime minister, after all, claims that he is continuing to carry out his duties in the best possible way even during the very difficult times he is experiencing. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Nazi hunted Nazi sheltered by Austria seen enjoying Euro 2008 games. Battle of the attitude An 'Israeli au pair' seems to be the ultimate oxymoron.   1.   Promises to keep? 10:59  |  Natallie Durson 02/06/08   2.   NOT binding.Olmert is illegit;a crook.Mazen is a terrorist killer 11:38  |  Elie, RN 02/06/08   3.   How does Akiva know what has or hasn`t been promised in private? 11:39  |  PETER SM 02/06/08   4.   I agree with #2..Abu Mazen, Olmert, Barak, Netanyahu, 12:05  |  El-Al-man 02/06/08   5.   Sworn enemies 12:08  |  Choni Davidowitz 02/06/08   6.   Ya, Eldar has it right and timely... 12:20  |  Esther 02/06/08   7.   Here is Akiva`s message translated from Haaretzese 12:38  |  Freethinker 02/06/08   8.   israel`s got alot of gall to claim IT has no partner for peace 12:47  |  eric 02/06/08   9.   Re eric #8 13:35  |  Esther 02/06/08   10.   Re eric #8... Talansky`s exasperation... 13:41  |  Esther 02/06/08   11.   It is time for Hamas partners, Egypt, and PA to deliver.... 13:49  |  r 02/06/08   12.   El-al-man 14:08  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 02/06/08   13.   Margie from Tel Aviv 14:43  |  Said 02/06/08   14.   The thing that can make Israel stand or fall is Jerusalem. 15:19  |  Akram Zekaria 02/06/08   15.   Carry Out His Vows To The PA? 15:29  |  Jeff Northridge 02/06/08   16.   For Eric and Esther peace is a codeword for elimination of Israel 15:38  |  Freethinker 02/06/08   17.   Carry Out His Vows To The PA? 15:40  |  Jeff Northridge 02/06/08   18.   If Pals unhappy with construction let them speed up negotiations 15:57  |  Sam 02/06/08   19.   democracy??!! 16:55  |  sam 02/06/08   20.   Reply to Jeff Northridge (Post No. 15) 16:55  |  Johnny Weintraub 02/06/08   21.   Pretty soon Israeli word will have no face value 17:51  |  Dutch 02/06/08   22.   Forget the half truth 18:16  |  howiej 02/06/08   23.   Netherlands will soon become third class worthless Sharia land 18:26  |  Genuine Tosefta 02/06/08   24.   Not By Self-Delusion and Self-Abnegation Alone 18:38  |  Tod Zuckerman 02/06/08   25.   Genuine Tosefta, if your post on the future of the Netherlands 18:45  |  Freethinker 02/06/08   26.   25 Some freethinker you are wanting to dominate Arabs 21:09  |  Dutch 02/06/08   27.   #21 Then they`d be just like Dutch! 21:16  |  A casual observer 02/06/08   28.   to Said, # 13 21:27  |  Igor D. 02/06/08   29.   Arabs deserve to be dominated and harshly oppressed 22:29  |  Genuine Tosefta 02/06/08   30.   # 10 to esther in tel aviv 02:00  |  eric 03/06/08   31.   Said thank you for your courtesy #13 09:57  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 17/06/08

Read & React UN envoy: Israel has given Syria a 'huge gift' for free Responses: 65 Israeli sources: Hezbollah deal possible next week Responses: 20 U.S. official: PA security forces fighting terror in West Bank Responses: 22 Nazi sheltered by Austria as too ill for trial, seen enjoying Euro 2008 Responses: 38 More Headlines 09:03 Israeli sources: Deal with Hezbollah likely next week 10:32 Report: U.S. pressing for Israeli pullout from Shaaba Farms 08:46 UN envoy: Israel has given Syria a 'huge gift' for free 09:25 U.S. official: PA security forces fighting terror in West Bank 09:49 Nazi sheltered by Austria as too ill for trial, seen enjoying Euro 2008 09:15 ANALYSIS / When a single comment raises oil costs, market is in trouble 09:14 What are the mysterious stones emerging from Kinneret waters? 09:14 Building company CEO who left hundreds homeless jailed for 7 years 22:59 UN official who compared Israel to Nazis turns the spotlight on Palestinians 23:42 Bush, Musharraf, Ahmadinejad top least-trusted leaders list 02:36 Police ignored murdered lawyer's complaint that his life was in peril 06:53 Government allocates NIS 10 million to Tourism Min. to woo Germans Previous Editions Select Day 16 jun 15 jun 13 jun 12 jun 11 jun 10 jun 09 jun 08 jun 06 jun 05 jun 04 jun 03 jun

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