Mr. Olmert goes to D.C. — armed with some grit

Ehud Olmert arrives in the United States next week for his first official visit as Israeli prime minister. He will meet with President Bush and address a joint session of Congress. But will he get what he wants?

Above all, Olmert seeks U.S. agreement with Israel's unilateral steps to draw permanent boundaries. By abandoning many West Bank settlements and completing the separation barrier, Olmert plans to create a de facto border with the Palestinians by 2010.

Israel will proceed with or without Palestinian input. The Palestinians sidelined themselves by choosing Hamas to represent them.

Not everyone is on board with Olmert's plan. Following an initial boycott of the Hamas government, many nations are contemplating end-runs around that strategy. The European Union will consider paying "emergency allowances" for key Palestinian personnel, if for no other than humanitarian reasons.

That crack in a unified anti-Hamas stance means the good will Israel engendered in recent months is giving way to old anti-Israel positions. Writing in USA Today this past week, former President Jimmy Carter called Olmert's plan "a land grab" and "colonization."

Israel is used to such aspersions, and has always been prepared to dismiss them. Now should be no different.

Olmert, and Ariel Sharon before him, came to the conclusion that Israel could not indefinitely sustain its presence in Palestinian territories without jeopardizing the nation's unique Jewish character. That meant making painful choices -- like last summer's Gaza pullout -- to withdraw to secure borders.

It would be nice if the Palestinian Authority could be a negotiating partner, but once again its leadership has proven untrustworthy. Thus Israel has been forced to make tough unilateral decisions. If the rest of the world can't understand that, too bad.

That does not mean Olmert should turn a deaf ear to Israel's friends. The Bush administration is urging Olmert to open a dialogue with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, independent of talks with Hamas. Abbas appears increasingly weak, and we're not convinced that is a wise strategy, but Olmert might consider it as a short-term backchannel to the Palestinian Authority.

The Middle East is too explosive a region to allow new leaders too long of a grace period. Most of them have to hit the ground running, and it appears Olmert has his running shoes laced up. We are encouraged by his determination and grit. Israel needs those qualities in its leaders.

It's time for us to listen to Israel's newly elected leadership and see what we can do to support the country we love.