Ehud Olmert
Ehud OlmertBen Dori/Flash 90

Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Wednesday responded in an interview on 103FM Radio to Ehud Barak's decision to return to politics and form a new party.

"I am not a political commentator. The person who decided to hold early elections is the Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, who failed to form a government. Contrary to what they assumed the night after the elections, his victory was far more minor than the impression they tried to create. The right lost votes in the last elections and the Prime Minister was unable to form a government. I expected that to happen.”

"The only considerations that drive Netanyahu are considerations of personal survival, so he decided to go to another election while placing the blame on others. Now he is finding out that a large part of the public seems to loathe the move, including a large part of the supporters of the Likud. There is concern that the Likud will weaken and will not be able to form a government, and for Netanyahu that would be a personal disaster."

And what do you think about the establishment of Ehud Barak's party?

"My relationship with Ehud Barak is not a great love affair, so I will be cautious in my words. If by establishing this party he has a chance to get enough votes to pass the threshold, and to accumulate enough power to influence political life – it’s a legitimate move. If not, the move could be harmful. That's how it is in elections, you either manage to accumulate enough votes or you do not."

Does Barak not aspire to greater goals?

"I do not know what he aspires to. Whoever achieves four and five seats will also play a role in the political system. I assume that anyone who runs with a party in the elections wants to at least be in this position. I know Kobi Richter and Yair Golan and I do not know if they will achieve the minimum achievement that will allow them to enter the Knesset.”

Do you think there will be elections?

"There will be elections and as a result will be another Prime Minister. Netanyahu will not be Prime Minister, I have no doubt about that."