Halutz: It wasn’t a knockout victory

VIDEO - IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz said during the weekly government meeting Sunday morning that "the war in Lebanon did not end in a knockout, but it was clearly a victory by points." Halutz elaborated on a series of accomplishments in southern Lebanon, including damage caused to Hizbullah infrastructures. He reported to the ministers that the territory was handed over to the Lebanese army and the United Nations in a 'meticulous and rational way." "A full interrogation of all the reserve forces will be held, and we have a lot of people to interrogate, from the chief of staff to the last soldiers. We have nothing to hide," the army chief said. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni briefed the ministers on what was taking place in the international arena in terms of the Lebanese issue, and reported of her meeting with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The foreign minister said that she had warned Annan that the failure to release kidnapped soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev constituted a violation of the ceasefire agreement, as well as the continued smuggling of arms to Hibzullah through Syria. Livni also reported to the ministers that she had spoken with Annan on a possible meeting between himself and the Goldwasser and Regev families. According to the foreign minister, Annan told her that he would operate to initiate such a meeting soon. IDF equipment left in Baalbek (Photo: AFP) Referring to the multinational force, Livni said that Israel was looking into the possibility of the participation of countries which have no diplomatic relations with Israel. Malaysia, Indonesia and Bangladesh are three Muslim countries which agreed to send troops to the multinational force in Lebanon, and according to Livni, "Annan promised to consult on this issue before a decision to have these countries join." Livni warned the ministers of an Aran League conference in the coming days and its results. "The Arab League may be over active, and this will harm the attempt to implement Security Council Resolution 1701," she said. Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter and Science, Technology, Culture and Sports Minister Ophir Pines-Paz supported the establishment of an official investigation committee into the failures of the war in Lebanon. Yishai: Arms smuggling will lead to attack The Israel Defense Forces' commando operation in Baalbek over the weekend stirred a series of reactions among ministers who arrived at the government meeting Sunday morning. Deputy Prime Minister and Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Eliyahu Yishai said that "Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora must understand that the person who is responsible for this is himself." "We must give him an ultimatum to either stop the arms smugglings from Iran through Syria to Hizbullah, or his infrastructures will be damaged," Yishai said. He added that any operation of arms smuggling requires a response by Israel. "We are not the ones who violated the ceasefire agreement," the minister said. Hizbullah members examine area following operation (Photo: AFP) Tourism Minister Isaac Herzog claimed that "Israel did not violate the Security Council resolution in the Baalbek operation. There is an instruction in the ceasefire agreement to impose an embargo on transferring weapons to Hizbullah through Syria and Iran. As long as these violations continue, we have the right to act." Housing and Construction Minister Meir Sheetrit said that "we cannot sit and do nothing while weapons are being smuggled from Syria to Hizbullah. I would expect the Lebanese government to show some good intentions, such as transferring the captives to its hands or at least allowing a visit by the Red Cross." Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday morning announced that the government would approve the establishment of a cabinet to rehabilitate the north, which will be headed by him. Olmert added: "This is a first-rate national mission." Major-General (res.) Amos Yaron will be appointed the coordinator of the government's operations in the cabinet to rehabilitate the infrastructures of the north damaged during the war in Lebanon . According to plans, as part of the cabinet's work a steering committee will be established, headed by Prime Minister's Office Director-General Raanan Dinur. The director-generals of the different ministries will participate in the committee, which will be in charge of preparing the plan for strengthening the north, including a detailed budgetary plan for the years 2006-2007. According to the government's decision, the cabinet will provide an answer to all the northern communities, whether Jewish, Arab, Bedouin, Druze or Circassian.