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ISRAEL: Will Olmert survive?

May 13, 2008 |  3:52 pm

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's troubles continue to lurch onward with no sign of a quick conclusion.
Investigators from the National Fraud Unit raided the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor on Tuesday searching for incriminating documents dated back to Olmert's time as minister.  On Monday, they raided Jerusalem's city  hall, where Olmert  served as mayor for 10  years.

The corruption investigation against Olmert centers around allegedly illicit cash payments from Jewish-American millionaire Morris Talansky, but investigators have also questioned two other wealthy Jewish-American businessmen.

Olmert has escaped several corruption investigations before this and never been formally charged. He managed to hang on in 2006 despite plummeting popularity over his government's handling of the conflict with Hizbollah. through it all he's cultivated a reputation as the ultimate teflon survivor.

But few seem to be betting on him this time. Recent polls indicate 60 percent of Israelis feel he should resign.

Columnist Sima Kadmon said the investigators appear to have a strong case and the allegations, which involve cash-stuffed envelopes, are particularly tawdry

"It appears that part of the shock in the political system and the media is not over the offense, but rather, over its lack of sophistication," Kadmon wrote.

—Ashraf Khalil  in Jerusalem

P.S. The Los Angeles Times issues a free daily newsletter with the latest headlines from the Middle East, the war in Iraq and the frictions between the West and Islam. You can subscribe by registering at the website here, logging in here and clicking on the World: Mideast newsletter box here.


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Comments

Could you please, please tell me why WHY the press in the US of A is so entrentched in the affairs of the state that calls itself israel?

OTHER PEOPLE SUFFER TOO, OK?

WHY does the USA spend countless amounts of precious funds for this "state"? Why does the US send countless gentile lives to fight for the protection of this "state"? And could you tell my why, those who claim US citizenship and "israeli" citizenship, do not send their own sons and daughters off to fight in the ill-devised wars, conflicts and provocations in and around PALESTINE where others(gentiles) are being offered on an "oil platter"?

The politicians in American may be partially responsible for being bought off by this "israeli" lobby. but
AMERICA is still worth fighting for...FOR THE RIGHT REASONS - might be worthwhile reading the
articles of confederation and the Bill of Rights - Let's hope the press and elected officials dont continue
to sell America out to the highest bidders, eg, lobbies and press..

I DARE YOU TO PRINT THIS!

DONT CONTINUE TO BE A ONE-SIDED information machine!

Thank you



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