Now that Ariel Sharon is incapacitated, Ehud Olmert has been sworn in as Acting Prime Minister. To put this catastrophe into American terms, think back to when FDR died in office and Harry Truman suddenly became president, but with (hopefully) more preparation.
Omri has a post that details the three major Israeli political parties and their outlooks and chances, as well as the Israeli political situation in general.
Barring a miracle, all eyes will be on Olmert for the present. Israel is still in a precarious position: Much of the Muslim world wants the Jewish state extinguished, and one lunatic has already proclaimed his desire to “wipe Israel off the map.” This is an existential threat to Israel every bit as great as the threats in 1948 and 1967, when the Arab and Muslim world tried to prevent Israel’s birth, and then to drive her into the sea.
Terrorists are still trying to murder Israelis on a daily basis; in fact, look for them to redouble their efforts, sensing that this may be a time when (they think) the IDF may not be as attentive.
Gaza is a land in total anarchy. Mahmoud Abbas has proven that he has neither the will nor the strength to establish the rule of law in the only parcel of land ever fully governed by palestinians.
And Israeli politics are in transition following Sharon’s withdrawal from Likud and establishment of Kadima. And so all eyes are on Ehud Olmert, and the question is: Can he lead the nation through this crisis? And then what?
I don’t know enough about the man to make a guess. But my eyes, like those of Israel and the world, will be upon him. This is his Harry Truman moment.
Update: Israel Insider has a profile of Olmert.
We know that whatever happens, however tragic, will lead to the results that Hashem wants. All we can do is pray that events transpire to avoid suffering and tragedy.
FDR completed his mission in the world and it was time for Harry Truman to take over. His decisions led to the end of World War II without the millions of deaths that an invasion of the home islands of japan would have caused. His decisions led to the founding of the State of Israel. Can we expect, that FDR would have done better or worse. No, we can speculate, but the probability of an outcome is 100% once it is in the past.
Can we know what Ariel Sharon’s illness will lead to? No. All we can do is pray that we can recognize what Hashem wants us to do and do it.
When Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi lay dying, his students kept him alive through their prayers. His maid recognized that his time was over and dropped some pots, distracting them, thus allowing him to pass on.
When it was time for King David to die and King Solomon to take over, Hashem arranged for him to die.
We can and must pray for the recovery of Ariel Sharon from his illness. We can and must also pray for the welfare of the people and state of Israel.
Hashem will send the proper leader that we deserve. However, Hashem has also granted us free will to make choices. May we have the wisdom to recognize what those choices should be.
“Behold, I have set before you life and death, therefore choose life”.
Sharon was fond of quoting the famous line by Charles DeGaulle (of all people) “the cemeteries are full of indispensable men.”
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The best American comparison I can draw is if the new PM will become an Andrew Johnson (Lame Duck President, nearly impeached) or a Lyndon Johnson (able to mobilize the government, pass radical legislation and carry on a war at the same time).
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