Sunday, August 24, 2008

Israel’s Olmert to Step Down

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who once described himself as “indestructible” announced on Wednesday he would resign after his ruling Kadima party chooses a new leader in September.


Political Career:

1973: Firs elected to the Knesset (legislature of Israel) and was re-elected seven times.

1993-2006: Served as mayor of Jerusalem for two terms.

2005: Joined former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in leaving Likud party to form Kadima party.

2006: Became leader of Kadima when Sharon was felled by a stroke. Kadima won the elections.

2007: Relaunched Israeli-Palestinian peace talks with Palestinian Mahmoud Abbas in November. The talks have made little progress.


Scandal:

U.S. businessman Morris Talansky testified in May that he had given Olmert $ 150,000 in cash over a 15-year period. Olmert also faces police probes in other corruption affairs.

Add to Technorati Favorites

No comments: