MK Eitan: Faith in Winograd Commission disappearing

Credibility of commission tasked with investigating failures of war in Lebanon questioned after commission members meet casually with prime minister, defense minister. MK Eitan: Appointment of Winograd Commission by those being investigated damaged its public credibility. Reservists: They are acting like subordinates to prime minister and not like his investigators

Reuters | Published: 09.28.06, 23:02

MK Michael Eitan (Likud) attacked Thursday evening the actions of the Winograd Commission tasked with investigating the failures of the war in Lebanon. According to him, "The appointment of the Winograd Commission by those being investigated damaged its public credibility."

MK Gilad Erdan (Likud) called the reservists to boycott the commission discussions and not to show up to them unless the commission members visit the soldiers' and officers' offices. This comes after members of the commission visited the prime minister and the defense minister.

"The fact that the Winograd Commission decided immediately upon starting its activities to first listen to he who chose them and says to the media that he is satisfied with the results of the war instead of opening a discussion before those whose criticism instigated the establishment of the commission, shows unfortunately that one cannot expect the commission to arrive at a truthful investigation," said MK Erdan.

At the same time, members of the reservists' headquarters for the establishment of a state commission of inquiry announced, "The Winograd Commission got confused. Its members announced Thursday that they thank the prime minister for the trust he placed in them and after they met with him they noted that the atmosphere in the meeting was positive and informal. They are acting like subordinates to the prime minister and not like his investigators. The public understands that it can't be that the government appoints a body that is supposed to investigate it. The public demands a state commission of inquiry that will be appointed by the Supreme Court and not a cover-up commission."

Earlier, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz met with members of the Winograd Commission.

"This was an investigation, but an initial background conversation," said to Ynet a source in the commission who met with the prime minister in his Jerusalem office. Olmert's office also reported that "this isn't a cross-examination," but they assume that "the difficult stage of documents and questions has yet to come."

The five members of the commission, head by retired judge Eliyahu Winograd, are laboring away at collecting background material on the second Lebanon war. Commission members have already toured the north, met with outgoing Northern Command Chief Udi Adam and Chief of Staff Dan Halutz.

The meetings with the prime minister and the defense minister were scheduled in their offices in order to avoid creating a sense of investigation and to provide a relaxed atmosphere for the beginning of the work. "This is a conversation over a cup of coffee," said a source in Peretz's office Wednesday evening.