Reality Check: Where Israel Stands Under the Ehud Olmert Government
On Tuesday Israel's vibrant democracy celebrated another successful election. For the first time in Israeli history, a new party will lead the government in its first foray into electoral politics, with Ehud Olmert at the helm as prime minister. Thirty-one parties participated, the debate was peaceful and the transition from one government to the next will certainly be seamless. These are realities firmly embedded into the fabric of a peaceful Israeli society.
What has not changed is the realities of the world Ehud Olmert has inherited. New threats, old enemies and an Iranian madman hell-bent on acquiring nuclear weapons are problems to be addressed. There are intelligence reports of al-Qaeda trying to establishing itself in southern Lebanon as well as the Palestinian territories to launch devastating attacks. Iran continues to threaten Israel's very existence, and old security challenges, complicated by new realities on the ground, continue to plague a nation. The Hamas-led Palestinian Authority, and as of today, began an escalation of their attacks in terms of precision and intensity. It will be Ehud Olmert who will be tasked with leading his people through this minefield, and we're hopeful he will be successful.
The precise makeup of the coalition government can only be speculated on at this point, but several things are immediately clear. There will be a centrist government and Olmert will have an opportunity to implement his vision of a secure Israel with a Jewish majority. There won't be any immediate changes, and before any measures are taken, four steps need to be undertaken:
- Completion of the security fence
- Reestablishment of deterrence on all levels with terror organizations
- Preparation of the Israeli public for a West Bank disengagement
- Marshalling the support of the international community for the establishment of Israel's final borders
Perhaps the most telling statement on what was a disengagement referendum came from Olmert himself in his victory speech: "In the course of thousands of years we carried the dream of a whole land of Israel in our hearts, always to remain in this land on its historic border was the aspiration of our soul – but due to a recognition of reality and an understanding of circumstances, we are willing to compromise on parts of the beloved Land of Israel in which our sons and fighters are buried, and to clear from there Jews who live there so that you can realize your dream and live next to us in your own state in peace and calm."
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