World | Ehud Olmert Olmert Move Clouds Future of Peace Deal Bush efforts to broker Israel-Palestine accord may be dead By Jason Farago Posted Aug 1, 2008 7:50 AM CDT Copied U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, left, talks with Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert prior to a dinner in Jerusalem, Sunday, June 15, 2008. (AP Photo) State Department officials are putting on a brave face in the wake of Ehud Olmert's resignation announcement, saying that the departure of Israel's PM will not forestall a peace agreement. But as the New York Times reports, most Middle East observers believe that Olmert's move signals the end of the Bush efforts to broker a deal. One analyst said simply, "It's over." Condoleezza Rice had tried to use Olmert's weakened position as a bargaining chip, thinking that the embattled PM would push for peace in order to shore up his own political career. Now that's he's leaving, any agreement will likely be cosmetic at best. As one Mideast expert said of Olmert, "Can he sell it, let alone implement it, in an environment in which he has no popular support or moral authority, with Hamas threatening from the sidelines? No way." Read These Next A game of doorbell ditch turns fatal for 11-year-old. Is India, under hefty tariffs, turning away from the US? Guy accused of snatching hat from boy at US Open IDed as rich CEO. Giuliani injured in high-speed highway crash. Report an error