Olmert, Foreign Ministry officials support Livni over UN vote

[bemildred]

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and senior officials in the Foreign Ministry rallied around Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Sunday, deflecting criticism that she failed in her job by not stopping the passage Thursday of the UN Security Council resolution demanding a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.

Likud and Labor officials had said earlier Sunday the fact the UN vote had passed without the American veto that has become customary for resolutions seen as harming Israel would be campaign fodder against Kadima's prime ministerial candidate.

Speaking at the weekly cabinet meeting, Olmert defended Livni, saying that she had warned from the beginning of the likelihood of a UN resolution, and that were it not for her efforts and the efforts of the Foreign Ministry, a more critical resolution would have been passed much sooner.

However a source close to Likud chairman Binyamin Netanyahu said: "It's clear to us that her behavior was unsatisfactory. She is in charge of the diplomatic process. She should have prevented such a decision at the UN, and by failing she caused Israel great damage."

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1231424929329&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[Rosa Luxemburg]

1. What's Tony Blair doing about this?

[bemildred]

2. Indeed, where is the "special envoy", or whatever he is?

He was so effective in bringing peace to Iraq, how can his efforts not be missed in this crisis?

[Rosa Luxemburg]

4. he's not much of an envoy!

[LeftishBrit]

5. I hope nothing. Anything he does will only make matters worse!

[Idealism]

3. Isn't it apparent how Israel's government is run by right-wing thugs?

They would put Bill Kristol to shame.