Prime Minister Olmert's announcement that he will not compete in the Kadimah primaries on September 17th has generally been greeted on the Israeli Left with a version of "it's about time." True, the end of Olmert's political career, which began with his misbegotten and misdirected Lebanon war and has been hastened by the mounting allegations of his personal corruption, has for some time now seemed imminent. And there's inevitably a sense of relief when the other shoe finally drops.

Still, I cannot recall a time when I have more strongly felt the validity of the familiar caution - "be careful what you wish for."