Hardline Likud party making comeback, says poll

Israel’s hardline Likud party would score a big win at the expense of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s Kadima and his main partner Labour – a complete turnaround – if elections were held now, according to a poll published today.

The poll reflected Olmert’s sharp loss of support since last summer’s war in Lebanon, which ended without accomplishing the two main goals Olmert set out - crippling Hezbollah guerrillas and returning two captured Israeli soldiers.