Last week there were two earthquakes in Israel. One was a small one, listed at about a 3.0 on the Richter scale, while the second was stronger registering a 4.2. These happened in the Dead Sea region, with the shocks being felt as far as Jerusalem.

This past Friday night was another earthquake registering at 4.1 on the Richter Scale. The epicenter was in the center of the country, just outside of Ramle. In Bet Shemesh we felt it. By "we" I mean the general public. I slept right through it. My wife told em about it in the morning when I got up. So, it turns out I really can sleep through even an earthquake!

The Sadigura Rebbe has said that the cause of these recent earthquakes is the government discussing giving away parts of Eretz Yisrael. He said these are the times of Mashiach and we must all repent.

In other Annapolis news, the police came under heavy pressure to delay their announcement of a decision regarding the possible indictment of Olmert. It was scheduled to be announced today, but they delayed it now because of Annapolis.

And in other Annapolis news, remember Ami Ayalon? The guy who ran for leadership of the Labor party under the banner of his refusing to sit in olmert's government and calling for its dismantlement? Remember him - the guy who said he would never take the position of Minister without Portfolio because it is a waste of public money and has no purpose, then he went ahead and took exactly that position?

Remember him? Well, now he met with Rabbi Ovadia Yosef in an attempt to convince him to not alow Shas to pull out of the government even if things in Annapolis go against his wishes. He called on Shas, even if Lieberman pulls his party out, to "show responsibility, stay in the government and support a diplomatic process that is essential to the existence of the state of Israel."

So, he ran on the platform of Olmert's government being corrupt and he would never sit in it. He then reneged on that promise, ok. Maybe he had reason to (good salary perhaps, for the cynics) . But now he has the chutzpah to campaign on its behalf and work to keeping it alive? At best he can justify his own taking the position but still that does not justify his campaigning on the governments behalf as if it is the responsible position.

We all thought Ami Ayalon was going to be the Great White Shark of Israeli politics.

He came into the Labor party and shook things up. He was a man who stood his ground and stood for his ideals. His popularity in nearly taking control of Labor leadership was based not on previous Knesset experience and what he can do, but based on a reputation he developed of being clean and idealistic.

He came in as somebody who wants to fix the system He was not going to sit in the Olmert government at any cost. If he would win he would insist on new elections right away. He was even offered a position after he lost to Barak and he refused because he would not sit in the Olmert government.

He looked like a promising future leader. A leader like the leaders of old, who had ideals and were not just interested in the perks of the office and the power.

Ami Ayalon has now agreed to Ehud Barak's offer and has been sworn in to the government as a Minister without Portfolio.

That brings the Olmert government to 26 ministers. It is the most bloated government ever and is symbolic of exactly how Olmert stays in power. They just give whoever needs it a big salary and some perks and that shuts them up.

Tzippi Livni was the big threat to Olmert. She called on him to resign as she could no longer work with him. When he said no, she did not resign herself to show that she could not work with Olmert. She simply said ok and went back to her office. She would not give up her job. That is not ideals. That is not improving government. Olmert did not fire her because that would have made trouble. He let her stay in the position of Foreign Minister because it gave him quiet.

Labor party, who claims its main issue to be that of social welfare, is partner in the government responsible for the most outrageous spending of any previous government. Not only that but they are directly responsible, not just partner to, for the needless increase of wastefulness that is happening because of the new appointment of Ayalon as a Minister with no responsibility. This whole appointment is purely a payoff. They should be embarrassed of themselves.

But Ami Ayalon's whole selling point was just lost. He was the clean guy. The throwback to the old days when politicians had ideals and stood their ground. He said he could not and would not sit in Olmert's corrupt government.

But now he is. And what is his excuse? Why did he cave?

He gives nothing more than the standard politicians excuse. And I quote Ami Ayalon, "I can influence the government better by being a member of the Cabinet."

Ho Hum. He is just like the rest of them.