A large majority of Israelis believe that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is incapable of reaching a final status agreement with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
A poll carried out on August 22 for Israel Radio's "Another Matter" program found that fully 63 percent of Israelis believe PM Ehud Olmert and PA President Abu Mazen are incapable of reaching an agreement on principles for a final status agreement. Only 20% of Israelis believe Olmert is capable. The poll found that even within Olmert’s own party Kadima, most voters do not believe him capable of reaching an agreement.
Olmert has made a final agreement a central part of his policy plan. This is in spite of the fact that Abbas is largely considered incapable of providing any security guarantees in light of his weakening position vis-a-vis Hamas.