2007年VOA标准英语-Israeli PM Admits He's Unpopular but Rejects Ca

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is brushing off polls which show the vast majority of the public wants him to resign. As Robert Berger reports from VOA's Jerusalem bureau, Mr. Olmert's political fortunes have plummeted¹ since the Lebanon War in July and August of last year.

Ehud Olmert

"I'm an unpopular prime minister," Mr. Olmert said. "The polls say so and they are right. I am indeed an unpopular prime minister."

Mr. Olmert's approval rating has plunged² to single digits³ in the wake of last year's Lebanon War, which was widely seen as a failure.

Despite a 34-day air and ground assault, the powerful Israeli army was unable to defeat 5,000 Hezbollah fighters entrenched⁴ in South Lebanon.

The prime minister's political fortunes took a turn for the worse this week, when the official commission of inquiry⁵ into the war announced that it would issue an interim⁶ report next month on Mr. Olmert's "personal responsibility."

Israeli politicians and the media believe that means he will be condemned⁷ for his handling of the war and could be forced to resign under the pressure of public opinion.

But Mr. Olmert said those seeking his downfall will have to wait.

"I know this is hunting season," he said, "but I'm here to work and to lead."

Mr. Olmert was speaking to his ruling Kadima party in a bid to boost sagging⁸ morale⁹. Polls show that if elections were held today, Kadima would win only 10 seats in the 120-member parliament, down from its current 29. The party enjoyed a meteoric¹⁰ rise to power in a landslide¹¹ election victory a year ago, but now, it is in danger of a meteoric fall.