IDF generals slam Halutz
Reserve generals criticize army's failures during war against Hizbullah in meeting with IDF chief Halutz in Tel Aviv; former northern command chief calls on Halutz to take responsibility by resigning
Israel Defense Forces Chief Lit.-Gen. Dan Halutz faced criticism for the army's poor performance in the war against Hizbullah during the second round of talks with reserve generals held in the Defense Ministry compound in Tel Aviv on Friday.
Maj.-Gen. Avigdor Ben-Gal (res.), former northern command chief, called on Halutz to resign, saying he committed numerous mistakes during 34-days of fighting. Ben-Gal went as far as suggesting that an air force officer is unfit to lead the army. Halutz was the air force chief before being promoted to the IDF's top seat.
Halutz replied to Ben-Gal that "a sheep shepherd doesn't have to be a sheep," hinting that he who is responsible for the herd doesn't have to be part of it.
Halutz's second meeting with reserve generals was not better than the first, with officials describing Friday's meeting as tense.
"At the exception of three generals who spoke with me during the war … there rest refused to do so. I have been in the system for years and I've never witnessed such a verbal onslaught. There were those who went far and exaggerated, but I too had criticism against my commander during the Yom Kipur War," he said.
Halutz responded to former IDF chief Moshe Yaalon who slammed the political and military echelon for the army's shortcomings.
"I didn't get support from those who spoke of snakes," he said, referring to remark made by Yaalon soon after Halutz's appointment that one needs to wear high heels when entering the Ministry of Defense "because of snakes."
Some 70 former generals attended the meeting which lasted longer than planned.
Most generals who took to the podium said hesitancy was the main reason for the army's failure in dealing a decisive blow to Hizbullah. Some criticized commanders for prefering to follow the war on television instead of joining troops in the battlefield.
