Long-time acquaintance says Olmert will carry out Sharon’s vision

by Jill Huber
NJJN Bureau Chief/Monmouth

When David Weiner of Locust met Ehud Olmert in 1981, the then 28-year-old Israeli politician was a member of the Knesset with an eye on the changes in his country and his personal role in Israel’s future.

Now that Olmert is acting prime minister in the wake of Ariel Sharon’s illness, he is face-to-face with the political challenges he sought for so many years, Weiner said.

“I think he is a career politician who will carry on Sharon’s peace efforts,” said Weiner, who has met with Olmert often since their introduction. “He helped to design Sharon’s plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and the northern West Bank, and he was one of the first to join the Kadima Party when Sharon founded it last year. These actions all point toward a continuation of Sharon’s policies.”

However, it remains to be seen whether Israel will unite behind Olmert, who has never inspired the kind of passion — positive and negative — among the population that was generated by Sharon, Weiner said, adding that Olmert’s relative lack of military experience also may hurt his staying power.

Weiner met Olmert in 1981, when he was guest speaker at a State of Israel Bonds function in Highlands. Since the 1980s, Weiner has been involved with Israel Bonds, the Young Leadership Cabinet of UJA, the executive board of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and other organizations devoted to Israel’s economic development.

A friendship ensued and Weiner, who often travels to Israel on behalf of AIPAC and the Young Leadership Cabinet, frequently met with Olmert in Jerusalem when he was the city’s mayor and a member of the Knesset.

Olmert also met with Weiner on his frequent visits to the United States.

Weiner was vacationing in Israel with his wife, Karen, and their three children, Lindsay, 21, Zachary, 19, and Arielle, 16, when Sharon suffered a debilitating stroke on Jan. 4. Although the events surrounding the prime minister’s illness prevented him from meeting with Olmert on this last trip, Weiner predicts that the two men will continue their 25-year friendship.

Weiner did observe the reaction of the Israeli people to Sharon’s collapse and Olmert’s appointment as acting prime minister. The public’s shock at the turn of events was enhanced by the fact that Sharon had appeared on Israeli television, exhibiting no signs of what was to come, several hours before he suffered the massive stroke, Weiner said. Later that day, Weiner and his family stood in the street and watched as Sharon’s motorcade left his office in Jerusalem, destined for the prime minister’s ranch, which is located about one hour south of the city.

As many spectators on the motorcade’s route acknowledged the government vehicles, there was still no indication or rumors that Sharon was on the verge of a health crisis, Weiner said. However, when the news broke, a sense of alarm permeated the city.

“Everyone felt that the situation was more disastrous than the initial news reports conveyed,” said Weiner. “Regular Israeli television programming was suspended, and every channel focused on Sharon. And, all the commentary about him was complimentary, which was not usually the case.”

While Sharon’s fate remains uncertain, Weiner said he feels the country is in capable hands.

“Olmert is not an ideologue,” Weiner said. “He is not as vision-directed as Sharon, but he agrees with his policies. Olmert is presently the figurehead of policies that Israel wants to go forward. I think he is strong enough to continue the disengagement from Gaza and the West Bank.”

However, Olmert’s political strength could lessen if the mood of the country changes in the wake of new terrorist attacks or other threats to Israel, he added.

According to Weiner, the acting prime minister is a highly educated man who is possessed of great wisdom. Although he is less confrontational than Sharon, Olmert is a “tough and knowledgeable politician.”

“He has observed and been part of many political power plays over the years,” Weiner said. “He is shrewd and he understands the parliamentary system in Israel. But there will always be comparisons to Sharon and that is understandable. Sharon was looking for a legacy; Olmert is looking for a future.”

Jill Huber

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