In his live message to the nation earlier in the week, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced that he would be stepping down and not seeking reelection. His carefully-worded statement was the subject of much political commentary, especially his statement boasting his “many accomplishments.”

One of the more scathing responses came from a former close friend of the prime minister, who dumped him like a hot potato as his alleged criminal activities began unfolding before the nation.

Veteran political analyst and journalist Dan Margalit questions just what Olmert did accomplish during his tenure as prime minister, coming up with the following list.

According to Margalit, there were exactly two accomplishments in office; Olmert’s handling of guests as the state leader during the 60th anniversary celebration, representing Israel is a majestic fashion, entertaining leaders from around the world.

The second accomplishment was the air force’s successful strike against the Syrian nuclear facility, one that definitely eliminated another major threat against Israel’s future.

Other events credited to Olmert according to Margalit include the failures of the Second Lebanon War, the unacceptable deal reached to obtain the release of the bodies of IDF soldiers Regev and Goldwasser, and the list according to many continues to grow, topped off by the sad reality that IDF Corporal Gilad Shalit remains prisoner, presumably in Hamas-held Gaza, now in his thirds year.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)