Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's theme 10 years ago when he was mayor of Jerusalem was that the capital would remain undivided forever, the Christian Science Monitor has noted. The report also commented that his right wing past and the ongoing police investigations against him have made him "a suspicious candidate for piloting the country to peace" among many observers.

"Either he's had a real conversion over time or he's a true political opportunist," said Hebrew University public opinion specialist Reuven Hazan.