Ruth King

In late May, before his government was even three weeks old, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stuffed himself into his best shirt and trotted to Washington. He was flush with anticipation that his give-it-all-away-once-and-for-all plan, its title shifting dizzily from “disengagement: to “unilateralism” to “convergence” to “realignment,” would get United States blessings and big bucks.

His euphoria was short lived. While President Bush politely called the Olmert plan a bold move, Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice actually said: “The Prime Minister has no program.” Instead, the State Department told Olmert to “build up” Abbas in order to weaken Hamas. Is that what they mean when they say “realpolitik”? Bismarck would pass out.

So, a deflated Olmert did what any great leader of firm convictions and principles would (not) do. He caved, issued warm praise for Abbas, and on his return to Israel promptly requested a meeting with him to renew negotiations. While he was waiting for a reply he went to see Egypt’s Mubarak and gushed “Mr. President, this was a very moving personal experience for me to sit with you now for approximately 1.5 hours, to hold talks and to listen to one of the most experienced and important leaders that I have had the opportunity of meeting with.” No matter to Olmert that Mubarak funnels arms to terrorists in Gaza and gratifies the Arab League with the most anti-Semitic media in the world.

And just in case he had not fawned enough, Olmert added an effusive apology for an incident in which two Egyptian terrorists who shot at IDF forces were killed. Mubarak, with steady icy smile, rejected the entire Olmert plan.

Next on the peripatetic (rhymes with very pathetic) Olmert’s jet stream was a decidedly unenthusiastic kinglet of Jordan, who not only rejected the Olmert land auction’s terms — “take it all, no price too low” — but had the effrontery to say “"The Palestinians' homeland and their state should be on Palestinian soil, and nowhere else." notwithstanding the fact that Jordan is 80% of historic Palestine.

And then it was off to Londonistan and Chiracistan to try to convince those leaders that he means business. In London, responding to the Kassam rockets being fired at Sderot, Olmert warned Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh that "no one involved in terror would have immunity," but then sent a bouquet to Abbas, as quoted by the Jerusalem Post : “Olmert said he would start by offering 90 percent and then negotiate what to do with the remaining 10.” This is actually comedic.

Olmert finally decided he had a “crisis” when Hamas rockets were raining on Ashkelon and a 19 year old Israeli soldier was kidnapped. In greatest secrecy (as if he were President Bush visiting Baghdad) Olmert stole into Sderot explaining he feared that if his presence were known more rockets would descend on the town. The message: “I feel your pain, but I sure don’t want to be a target like you.”

Olmert sent the IDF into several of the ruined Jewish settlements in Gaza — now rocket launching pads — that had protected Israel prior to “disengagement.” For all the strutting and braggadocio — we will not free thousands of Arab prisoners, we will not submit to blackmail — who could fail to believe that in the end he would do precisely what he said he would never do? Every leader has a line in the sand, beyond which he cannot be pushed, but not Olmert. Whatever you demand, I’ll find a way to give you more. The silver-tongued Abba Eban once said “the Arabs never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity….” Just substitute Olmert and the old saw is a perfect fit.

For Olmert has every opportunity to disavow continuing the foolhardy Gaza surrender. Even those in the media who earlier hailed the move are skeptical. And, most important, the Israeli public which elected Olmert shows an increasing unwillingness to go along with — what’s the most recent name for surrender?— “realignment.” Even the leftist sheet Ha'aretz disclosed a poll in which only 35% of respondents approved of Olmert's folly.

But the accidental Prime Minister, flush with failure, just pledges more concessions, brandishes his fist in the air, bangs on the table, and “warns” Israel’s enemies that nothing they can do can stop him from giving them everything they want and more.

In the aftermath of the Gaza beach bombing of civilians for which Israel was falsely blamed, and on his way to wow Tony Blair, Olmert did say: "The IDF is the most moral army in the world and it does not and never has made a policy of targeting civilians." However, he was silent when his own daughter Dana demonstrated against her father's chief of staff calling for him to be tried as a "war criminal." Nor can the uxorious Prime Minister control his Peace Now wife or radical sons. He reserves his harshness for Israel’s beleaguered settlers.

Like the old Henny Youngman joke, he tells Israel's enemies:
“Take my land…..please.”