00:00Israel is heading into a crucial election as well, with violence flaring in the occupied West Bank and the country
00:07deeply divided over its future.
00:09A major Israeli military operation over the weekend has raised tensions even further, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu battles for
00:17political survival.
00:19After three years of war, is Israel ready for a change of leadership, and would that bring a change of
00:25direction?
00:26Joining me now is former Israeli Prime Minister and outspoken Netanyahu critic Ehud Olmert.
00:32Good morning, sir. Thanks for coming on the show.
00:35Good morning.
00:37So, you have been one of Benjamin Netanyahu's fiercest critics.
00:41Is this election really about Israel's future, or simply about getting rid of Netanyahu?
00:48It's about Israel's future, and I'd say the nature and the soul of Israel.
00:56Is Israel a democracy that respects basic, fundamental human values, moderation, compassion, respect for others?
01:09Or Israel is a messianic, extreme, fundamentalist, radical country that is dominated by a group of thugs,
01:21like Benghild, Smotrich, and Netanyahu.
01:25So, this is, of course, an inevitable battle about the future of Israel.
01:34But the future of Israel is the future of Netanyahu may become the disaster of the state of Israel.
01:46Netanyahu has survived political crises, corruption allegations, and three years of war.
01:53What makes you believe Israeli voters are finally ready to turn the page?
01:58Well, you know, I don't know much except for what I see in the polls that are run on a
02:04daily basis by all the different channels in Israel.
02:06And in all the different polls, in all the different channels, for a long period of time,
02:12there was not one single poll which gave the bloc of Netanyahu more than 51 seats.
02:21In most cases, they got less than 50, which means that they are short of at least 10 to 11
02:27seats in order to be able to form a coalition.
02:30So, I think it's moving rapidly into the point where the bloc of change, led by General Eisenhower,
02:39the former chief of staff of the Israeli army, was an entirely different person from Netanyahu,
02:44the opposite of Netanyahu. Everything bad about Netanyahu is almost everything good about Eisenhower.
02:53He's not framboyant, he's not outspoken, he's a very modest, humble, reserved, restrained, responsible person.
03:05And I think that people are ready for him.
03:10If I may follow up on this, you have publicly backed Gadi Eisenkot, who's a former military chief.
03:17Why should Israelis trust another former general to lead the country?
03:21And what would be actually, what would he do actually differently?
03:27Considering the history of the State of Israel and the fact that throughout our history,
03:34from the proclamation of the State of Israel going back to 1948, we always had to fight.
03:40In 1948, in 56, in 67, in 73, in between the big wars, small battles, and of course,
03:48the war in Lebanon once and twice, and in Gaza, and so on and so forth.
03:52So, of course, the centrality of the battle for life, which has characterized the history of the State of Israel,
04:00made the generals and former generals of the army, particularly generals which were associated with military victories,
04:10very dominant figures in the public discourse in the State of Israel.
04:14that Gadi Eisenkot is the most unlikely president or prime minister in the State of Israel.
04:22The reason he is unlikely is because, although he is a former chief of staff of the Israeli army,
04:28in person, in the nature of the men, in the manner in which he handles himself as a human being,
04:35is the opposite of Netanyahu.
04:37And I think that one of the reasons why he has become so popular is precisely because of this.
04:43When Netanyahu is pompous with lots of militaristic and chubinistic rhetoric,
04:51Gadi Eisenkot is the opposite.
04:53While Netanyahu is creating an atmosphere of hysteria and fear,
05:01Eisenkot creates an atmosphere of restraint, of responsibility, of moderation,
05:07and of open mind about all the different options.
05:11So, I think that this has made him.
05:14The fact that he is the opposite of Netanyahu,
05:17that he is not arrogant, that he is reserved, that he is restrained,
05:21and I think that the policies are not going to be 180 degrees different from Netanyahu.
05:27It will take time.
05:28Israel has to pull out from the trauma which, of course, devastated us on the 7th of October.
05:37But I think that we are on the way to change the atmosphere,
05:41to change the attitude, and to become normal again,
05:45which we are not at the present time.
05:47And, sir, you mentioned the polls.
05:49Now, the polls also suggest a deeply divided electorate
05:53and no guaranteed parliamentary majority.
05:55Could Israel end up with political paralysis?
05:59And who would be the prime beneficiary of such chaos?
06:03Look, there is, in terms of numbers, in terms of figures,
06:09there is an option of a stalemate where there will be a larger block for change.
06:18But insufficient in terms of the absolute majority numbers, which we need.
06:24So, that will depend on whether the block of change will agree to cooperate with our parties,
06:31which will provide the absolute majority.
06:34There is a growing understanding and awareness and desire amongst many Israelis
06:40that the Arab parties should be part of government.
06:42They are part of the Israeli system.
06:44They are part of the Israeli citizens.
06:46They are just as good as everyone else, and they are loyal to the country, and there is no reason.
06:51But, of course, the events with the Palestinians and the military and violent confrontation
06:57and the massacre of Israelis by the Hamas at the time,
07:02it created a certain mood of restraint and of caution about a partnership with Palestinians.
07:09That has to change.
07:11I think that the only person that can change it, hopefully, after the elections,
07:16will be Gadi Eisenko.
07:18But it remains to be seen.
07:20And that may change the tide and provide the opposition with enough numbers
07:26to be able to form government.
