During Wednesday’s plenum session, it was the MKs from Likud who thought they would be smiling but at the end of the day, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was the one who has the most reason to smile – having pushed off the Knesset dissolution vote by signing a deal with Labor.

Olmert just could not hold it in and during his plenum address, he told the Likud “he also will be a contender,” speaking about himself – sending a first hint that he plans to run in the Kadima Party primary election intended to replace him as party leader.

Olmert refuses to bow out, and believes he will emerge victoriously from the police investigation and return to continue to lead Kadima and the nation.

In the deal signed with the Labor Party, Ehud Barak did not insist on a clause that Olmert would not run in the primary election, most likely because no one thought he would.

A poll conducted by Dr. Mina Tzemach, involving 500 people representing a cross-section of the 62,000 registered Kadima voters, the question was asked whom they would vote for if the primary election were held today.

Running in the race are Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, Public Security Minister Avi Dichter and Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit.

The results as follows:

Livni (31%)

Mofaz (23%)

Olmert (22%)

Two interesting points are the gap between Livni and Mofaz is narrowing as the former defense minister gains momentum, and that Olmert lands third place, only one percentage point behind Mofaz.

If the same question is posed and Olmert’s name is removed from the race, Livni emerges with 40%, Mofaz 30%, Dichter 12% and Sheetrit 9%.

This shows a significant gain by Olmert, who in the last Mina Tzemach poll published in Yediot Achronot three weeks ago was trailing Livni by 15%.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)