Olmert, Livni say new leadership necessary to counter Israel's plummeting 'in all areas'

Former Kadima heads waiting for US elections before committing to political path

Former prime minister Ehud Olmert and former foreign minister Tzipi Livni met on Wednesday to discuss running for Knesset in the upcoming elections under a common list. The hour-and-a-half-long meeting yielded no definite resolutions, but the two issued a joint statement expressing a need for a change of leadership “in light of the situation to which Israel plummeted in recent years, in all areas.”

The two former leaders of Kadima reportedly decided to wait for the results of the US presidential election next week to determine their political direction.

Both are reported to be seriously considering a return to the political world, which Livni left after losing the leadership of Kadima to Shaul Mofaz.

Olmert’s ability to run for office was cast in doubt earlier this month when the State Attorney’s Office informed Olmert’s lawyers that it will appeal his acquittal in at least one, and possibly both, of the two substantive corruption charges of which he was acquitted by the Jerusalem District Court in July. He was convicted of breach of trust in the same trial, and is also still on trial over a real estate scandal.

A Monday poll, conducted by TNS Teleseker and published in Maariv, indicated that a party led by Olmert and Livni would garner 10 seats out of 120 Knesset seats.