Olmert Being Hammered in Israel for his flip-flops (gov't could fall?)
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...308742,00.html
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Well at least I'm not crazy - praying that Israel will make good choices...
Opinion polls published today showed that few Israelis are satisfied with his performance, even though an overwhelming majority still backs his decision to launch the offensive after a Hezbollah raid on July 12 in which two Israeli soldiers were abducted. Since then more than 1,000 Lebanese and 100 Israelis have been killed.
"We said two days ago that we would stop the fire, either militarily or diplomatically," an Israeli political source said. "We see that the ceasefire deal in the UN is not making the required progress, and therefore we have authorised the military action."
.....It was unclear to what extent the stepped-up Israeli action was being used a negotiating tool or whether Mr Olmert had decided that a ceasefire would be premature if Israel's primary military objectives - including the neutralisation of Hezbollah as a threat to northern Israel - have not been achieved.
A source close to the Israeli Government said tonight that Mr Olmert had received a call from Dr Rice asking if there was still any room for diplomacy, the Associated Press reported. According to the AP report, Mr Olmert said that he would be willing to call off the offensive if his diplomatic demands were met.
Mr Olmert received an unambiguous warning today that accepting a UN-brokered ceasefire before achieving a clear-cut military victory over the Shia Muslim movement would amount to a humiliating defeat for Israel that could force him from office.
After enjoying four weeks of unwavering public support, Mr Olmert and his Government woke up to an unprecedented barrage of criticism today for its handling of the war.
A headline in the Haaretz newspaper declared: "Olmert must go"
One newspaper reported a series of acrimonious exchanges between Mr Olmert and his deputy, the veteran Shimon Peres. The Maariv daily said that the two clashed notably during Wednesday's Security Cabinet meeting when ministers approved a wider ground war.
"We said two days ago that we would stop the fire, either militarily or diplomatically," an Israeli political source said. "We see that the ceasefire deal in the UN is not making the required progress, and therefore we have authorised the military action."
.....It was unclear to what extent the stepped-up Israeli action was being used a negotiating tool or whether Mr Olmert had decided that a ceasefire would be premature if Israel's primary military objectives - including the neutralisation of Hezbollah as a threat to northern Israel - have not been achieved.
A source close to the Israeli Government said tonight that Mr Olmert had received a call from Dr Rice asking if there was still any room for diplomacy, the Associated Press reported. According to the AP report, Mr Olmert said that he would be willing to call off the offensive if his diplomatic demands were met.
Mr Olmert received an unambiguous warning today that accepting a UN-brokered ceasefire before achieving a clear-cut military victory over the Shia Muslim movement would amount to a humiliating defeat for Israel that could force him from office.
After enjoying four weeks of unwavering public support, Mr Olmert and his Government woke up to an unprecedented barrage of criticism today for its handling of the war.
A headline in the Haaretz newspaper declared: "Olmert must go"
One newspaper reported a series of acrimonious exchanges between Mr Olmert and his deputy, the veteran Shimon Peres. The Maariv daily said that the two clashed notably during Wednesday's Security Cabinet meeting when ministers approved a wider ground war.
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Well at least I'm not crazy - praying that Israel will make good choices...
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