Dead man walking....

Columnist Ari Shavit is reiterating his prediction that Israeli PM Ehud Olmert will be forced to resign (in today’s Haaretz).

Turns out, Olmert is facing harsh criticism not only for his conduct of the Lebanese invasion, but for a cushy real estate deal he and his wife entered into to purchase their new Jerusalem home for half a million dollars below market value. The State Comptroller's office is investigating.

...It is highly doubtful that Olmert could even temporarily survive such a police probe considering the present public mood. Chances are that within about two months he will no longer be Israel's prime minister.

When reporter Yoav Yitzhak exposed the affair of Olmert's house sale before the last elections, other journalists defended Olmert. They portrayed the experienced investigator as eccentric, helping to smooth Olmert's way to the prime minister's office. But as soon as honest professional officials became involved, the path led instead to investigating Olmert.

The significance is clear: politically, Olmert is a dead man walking. Whatever Yoav Yitzhak did not do, the State Comptroller's men will do. Whatever they don't do, the police will probably do. Whatever the police don't do, the public, hopefully, will do. This time the public will not be deceived or keep quiet. Its cry of outrage will rock the foundations.

Too bad American government is too corrupt and sycophantic to truly investigate Bush and Cheney's questionable business deals.

Complete column here.