63% of Israelis want Olmert to quit

August 25, 2006

Almost two-thirds of Israelis want Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to resign, according to a public opinion poll published on Friday. The survey suggests there has been a major shift in Israeli public opinion in the wake of Israel's 34-day war in Lebanon that appeared to achieve few of Israel's military objectives. The poll published by Yedioth Aronoth, Israel's bestselling paper, also shows that 45% of Israelis would vote for Benjamin Netanyahu of the right wing Likud in an election where only he and Olmert were candidates.

A second poll published in Maariv gives Olmert 14% support compared to 26% for Nethanyahu and that Olmert's centrist Kadima party would win only 14 seats in the Knesset compared to 28 for Likud and 28 for ultranationalist 's. The centre-left, which is currently in a coalition with Kadima, would win only 9 seats according to the survey. 74% of respondents want Labour leader to quit his post as defense minister.

The Maariv poll showed 73 percent of Israelis opposed future unilateral withdrawals.