I'm in the New York Times, Again

In a story published in the New York Times
on Othniel Schneller, resident of Ma'aleh Mikhmas, who was elected an MK on the Kadima list, thereby working against his own best interests by promoting a further withdrawal plan, I am quoted in this context:-

Meanwhile, the settlers, who have wielded considerable political clout for years, now find themselves on the defensive, after the evacuation of settlements from the Gaza Strip last summer and the prospect of an even larger West Bank withdrawal.

The settler leaders say that they believe public support for Mr. Olmert is lukewarm, and that he will have difficulty maintaining a stable coalition in a country where governments crumble with regularity.

Yisrael Medad, a spokesman for the Yesha Council, the body that represents settlers, urged Mr. Olmert to focus initially on social issues, rather than push an evacuation plan that is certain to face resistance and create division among Israelis.

"We should say to Olmert: hold off for two years, fix up the economic and social problems, and then let's see where we are," said Mr. Medad, who lives in Shiloh, a settlement that is also beyond the separation barrier. "If you start to move against the communities here, you will get demonstrations and protests."

My point, lost a bit here, is that Kadima most certainly did not achieve a sweeping mandate to move decisively on disengagement and that many more votes went to parties that promoted social welfare issues.