Israel's Olmert faces defeat in any election

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's centrist Kadima party would plummet into third place behind Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud and another right wing faction if elections were held now, a poll showed on Thursday.

Olmert's popularity has collapsed in the aftermath of a 34-day war between Israel and the Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah, amid widespread criticism of the government's handling of the crisis.

New elections are only a matter of time. Right now Olmert is as good as a lame-duck. Nobody trusts him to look after the good of the country. The vultures are beginning to circle. They are just not yet organized to make a good attack. And when the dust settles, we are looking at a very strong Right-wing government in control.