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Olmert`s declarations anger Israeli officials
published by Israeli daily Haaretz on Thursday, have provoked anger across the Jewish state.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Thursday that the summer war was planned in advance and before the Islamic resistance of Hezbollah captures two occupation soldiers in July. These declarations angered Israeli officials especially that they confirm what Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has always said.
Daily Haaretz said in its Friday edition that senior officers in the General Staff voiced criticism on Thursday of Olmert`s claims before the Winograd Commission regarding his plans for this summer`s war in Lebanon and asked, "If war was planned, why was the IDF left unprepared?"
Labor Party ministers also lashed out on Thursday at Olmert`s testimony before the committee, as reported in Haaretz.
Olmert reportedly said that he made a coalition deal with Labor under which Labor received the defense portfolio, but decided on its own who would fill it, and therefore, Labor is responsible for Peretz`s problematic appointment as defense minister. But Labor ministers charged that Olmert has sole responsibility for this appointment, as he and Peretz concluded the Labor-Kadima coalition agreement entirely by themselves, and this agreement, as it was submitted to Labor`s central committee for approval, already had Peretz marked as defense minister. In contrast, the ministers said, the other portfolios were left blank, allowing Labor to fill them as it saw fit.
One minister added that if Olmert really did deny responsibility for the appointment, he was essentially admitting to have abdicated his duties, because the prime minister bears primary responsibility for national security, a task which includes appointing a qualified defense minister. Moreover, if Olmert really planned for the possibility of war with Lebanon months in advance, as he told the committee, that was all the more reason why he should have ensured that he had a competent defense minister.
Ministers from other parties demanded to know why, if Olmert had considered war a possibility, he never bothered to inform them of this until the day the war began.
Meanwhile, Channel 2 television said Thursday night that the Winograd Committee`s interim report on last summer`s war in Lebanon will be published on March 27, but will not be accompanied by any warning letters and will not include any findings related to specific individuals.
But Channel 2 said that the final report, slated for release in late July, will nevertheless include harsh findings against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Amir Peretz, former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Dan Halutz and former GOC Northern Command Udi Adam.
Channel 2 revealed additional details on Thursday of the testimony given to the Winograd Committee, including its questioning of Vice Premier Shimon Peres as to why he voted for the war if he had reservations about it. During the cabinet discussion preceding the vote, Peres had asked whether plans had been made for phases two and three of the war, following Israel`s initial response to Hezbollah`s capturing of two soldiers. Peres responded that in wartime, internal unity is very important, and a vote against the war would have been viewed as a vote of no-confidence in the prime minister.