Olmert Seen As More Open to Negotiations
Ehud Olmert’s immediate test as Israel’s acting prime minister _ and a harbinger of his stand on Mideast peacemaking _ will be whether he will allow Palestinians to vote in Jerusalem in their upcoming parliamentary elections. A “no” could derail balloting scheduled for Jan. 25 and upset the Bush administration, which is pushing for greater democracy in the Arab world. A “yes” might harm Olmert’s chances of winning Israeli elections in March if he appears to be caving to outside pressure. Olmert-watchers say he is expected to try to work out a compromise to avoid starting off on the wrong foot with Washington. Full Story