He is gone!

It is official, Ehud Olmert is gone. After a disastrous 2 years, a costly failure in Lebanon, and 5 corruption probes by the police (he is finally being indited), Ehud Olmert has handed his resignation to President Shimon Peres.

Thirty-three months after he dramatically filling in for a stroke-stricken Ariel Sharon, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert - facing a number of corruption allegations - formally tendered his resignation to President Shimon Peres on Sunday evening.

Olmert entered and left Beit Hanassi by a side entrance, thereby avoiding the press, and met with Peres for some 30 minutes.

Following the meeting, the president met the media and said this was a "difficult evening" for Olmert, and that he appreciated "the respectful way in which he is handing over his power."

Peres read from a prepared text and thanked Olmert "for his service to the people and the state over the course of many years of public activities."

"The safety of the State of Israel and the welfare of its citizens were central to his actions as prime minister," Peres said, adding that "some of these will remain unknown."

He should have handed in his resignation right after the Lebanese War of 2006, but instead stayed in power for another 29 months. Months in which saw Israel being attacked daily, a demoralized IDF and a sense of failure in the nation.

The Kadima party held its primary this week and Tzipi Livni has gained control of its leadership. As foreign minister Livni has been instrumental in the push for a divided Jerusalem and the 2 state solution. Whether this was done on Olmert's orders or by her own admission, one cannot say. But her feet are now over the fire and she will have a lot of work to do. Many concerns are on her agenda, not the least is what to do about Iran.

Let us hope that she will have the balls to do the right thing.