Unchartered waters

I have been off the blog scene for a few months and in that time much has happened in the Middle East. First, Ariel Sharon suffered a major stroke and has been in a coma ever since. He is now fighting for his life after a sever malfunction in his digestive system. Ariel Sharon –Israel’s grandfather figure, the general, and the popular Prime Minister – was forced by G-d to bow out of politics.

Meanwhile, the unassuming Ehud Olmert picked up the reigns and has managed to bring stability to his party and country – he prevented the predicted exodus from Kadima (post Sharon) while sending the right messages at home and abroad ensuring that the Israeli stock market remained stable and that Israeli-US relations remain cordial.

Polls show that Israeli voters seem still believe that the disengagement model is the way forward and are undeterred by the fact that its architect is lying in a hospital bed.

Ehud Olmert is by no means in an enviable position. He has been thrown into the seat of power, unelected, in the midst of an election campaign – having to contend with the real threat of a Nuclear Iran and the newly elected Hamas leadership. Having gotten to the point where there is no road, Ehud will have to do what Bush did on September 11 2001 – rise up as a leader and charter his own course.