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Olmert. Whispering sweet nothings in Marcus' ear?
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| By Dr. Aaron Lerner December 22, 2007 |
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Haaretz columnist Yoel Marcus was Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's top cheerleader from the moment Sharon took his advice that his legal problems would not be relevant if he started retreating.
Marcus slammed PM Olmert in his Friday 14 December column "No one to rely on":
"The politician, unlike the leader, is preoccupied with ensuring his survival more than with the public's welfare.... Unlike Olmert's optimistic forecasts, it is highly likely that the Winograd Committee's final conclusions will place the responsibility for the Second Lebanon War squarely on Olmert's shoulders, and he is doing and will do everything to preserve his seat. Neither Olmert nor Defense Minister Ehud Barak, both of whom have an interest in sticking together, can chalk up improvement in any area within their purview to their government.... Neither Olmert nor Barak have the public's sweeping sympathy at present. As politicians in leaders' clothing, they are conveying the message that there is nobody to rely on."
Just seven days later Marcus devotes his December 21 column to argue that "It will be a mistake and an injustice if a lethal, harsh conclusion by the Winograd Committee throws a prime minister, who by all accounts has matured as a leader, into the lions' den and throws the whole country into political chaos."
What happened in the interim?
Is Yoel Marcus, a veteran Israeli journalist who has rubbed shoulders with generations of Israeli leaders, so shallow that a visit to the prime minister's residence is enough to cause such a dramatic change?
Doubt it.
Marcus cites the bombing of the Syrian facility on September 6 as proof that Olmert has changed. But September 6 was also before his December 14 column that slammed Olmert. Olmert's critics note that the problem is that the operation in Syria is the exception - not the rule. The operation shows what Israel can do when it recognizes a serious problem, prepares and then executes a plan to address it. And in a timely fashion. This hasn't been the case in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict (either on a military or diplomatic level) nor in a myriad of other Israeli sectors (the high school strike was resolved only after doing incredible damage to the students -- including 12th graders slated to be drafted this summer, while Israel's university students may very well lose the entire year, and the list goes on).
Marcus claims now that Olmert is a close pal of President Bush as evidenced by photographs Olmert displays (similar to ones that can be found on the walls of many politicians and political campaign contributors) and proclaims that "On the basis of personal sympathy, the president decided to increase U.S. security aid to Israel in the next decade from $24 billion to $30 billion (just covering the devaluation of the US Dollar against the shekel in the last 6 monts)." Again, a relationship Olmert also claimed to have when Marcus wrote his 14 December column.
So what is really behind the about face?
Judging by Marcus' fervent belief that when it comes to withdrawals that the ends justify the means and that he would basically use his Haaretz column to support the devil himself if he thought it would promote withdrawal one can only speculate that Mr. Olmert shared some information about withdrawal plans that Mr. Marcus has decided to hold for another column.
And this with President Bush coming soon.
Stand by?
Better: be forewarned.
Dr. Aaron Lerner publishes the Independent Media Review and Analysis (www.imra.org.il). You can subscribe to the IMRA RSS feed here. |
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