Is Olmert Just Responding To Public Opinion?

Benny Morris on the swap:

The prospective swap is clearly the desperate act of a weak prime minister and Cabinet driven by emotional public opinion, which is itself driven by a chorus of appeals from the relatives of the two soldiers. It is also only the last in a string of exchanges in which Israel has paid exorbitantly to get its boys back, dead or alive.

I've read how the Goldwasser and Regev families approached all of the ministers on the way to getting the Knesset to back Olmert on the exchange.

If Israelis truly want Olmert out of office and are against his policies in Gaza and his peace overtures with Syria, why are they not able to be equally emotional and persistent?

Or is the government merely allowing public opinion in this case to push them in the direction they already want to go?

After 2 years, why has Olmert now decided to pursue the exchange?

Technorati Tag: Israel and Olmert and Goldwasser and Regev.