Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has refused to bend to mounting public pressure in favor of a single commission of inquiry into the Lebanon war headed by a former Supreme Court judge.
"A State commission of inquiry would be a mistake for the State of Israel. I won't let that happen," said Olmert, with the same determination which has characterized him since the end of the war in the face of much criticism.
The staunch position came despite a decision by Attorney General Menachem Mazuz to disqualify two members,
due to a clash of interests, from the political commission set up by Olmert.
Prime Minister Olmert in Tiberias on Tuesday (Photo: Hagai Aharon)
"The Admoni Commission and the committee of the Defense Ministry will investigate the lessons of the Lebanon war along the State comptroller," a senior source at the Prime Minister's Bureau told Ynet following Mazuz's decision.
A source from the Bureau also said that Olmert was untroubled by Mazuz's decision. "Two replacements for Yaari and Ivri will be appointed shortly," the Bureau said. "On Sunday, we will bring an approval for the two new members to the government meeting, together with the three members already appointed: Former Mossad head Nahum Admoni, Judge Ruth Gavison, and Professor Yehezkel Dror."
Olmert does not see the appointment of Yaari and Ivri as a failure. On the contrary – the prime minister saw the two as good appointments, according to his aides.
"But since our legal advisor at the Prime Minister's bureau and the attorney general saw things differently, he accepted that. The prime minister thinks that only cynics believe that Yaari and Ivri are not appropriate due to their personality. But if there are concerns over a clash of interests – he will fine the two who will replace them," an aid said.
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