Ehud Olmert

Who is he?:

Olmert is the 12th prime minister of Israel. He assumed the post on a temporary basis on Jan. 4, 2006, after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a severe stroke. He assumed the position permanently on May 4, 2006.

Birthdate:

Sept. 30, 1945, in Binyamina. His parents, Bellah and Mordechai, were Israel pioneers.

Personal life:

Olmert's wife, Aliza, is a writer. Together they had four children: Michal, Dana, Shaul, and Ariel. They also have an adopted daughter, Shuli.

Political affiliation:

Kadima. He was formerly with Likud until former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon formed the centrist Kadima party.

Career:

Olmert served in the Golani Brigade of the IDF, and was a military correspondent for the defense forces' magazine "Bamachane." A lawyer by trade, Olmert was first elected to the Knesset in 1973. He was mayor of Jerusalem for two terms from 1993-2003. A supporter of the 2005 Gaza pullout, Olmert became finance minister that year when Benjamin Netanyahu resigned to protest the withdrawal. Olmert was pretty much Sharon's right-hand man and followed him in the break to Kadima.

Future:

Olmert continues to press for agreements with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, but his authority has been shaken by financial scandal. An inquiry also found that he handled the 2006 war with Hezbollah poorly, and many called for his resignation in the wake of the findings. With lower poll numbers, Olmert decided to press forward with east Jerusalem home construction, angering Palestinians who want that end or all of Jerusalem included in any sort of "roap map to peace" settlement.

Quote:

"Israel has already proven, including through disengagement, that it is prepared to advance peace. ...The key to moving the political process forward is for the Palestinians to abandon the path of terror. This is not a matter for words, statements and empty promises -- we had our fill of those in the past." -- Olmert to the Herzliya Conference on Jan. 24, 2006