Testimonies reveal leadership's utter futility, says MK Gal-On
Meretz member says publication of Winograd Commission testimonies strengthens appeals for Olmert, Peretz resignations; testimonies cause increased revulsion, says MK Shalom
Meretz MK Zahava Gal-On, whose High Court petition led to Thursday's publication of the Winograd Commission's protocols said: "The significance of publishing the testimonies (of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Amir Peretz and former IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz) is that they reveal the utter futility of the leaders and their failings and they strengthen the demands for the immediate resignation of the prime minister and the defense minister," she said.
MK Ran Cohen, also from Meretz, added that "the mutual blame tossing among the leaders as we see it in the Winograd testimonies, attest to the depth of our leadership's collapse, and it cannot serve to disguise the recklessness in which decisions were made."
MK Silvan Shalom (Likud) said that "the testimonies only increase the revulsion that was felt before. The inevitable conclusion is that they must vacate their seats at once," Shalom stated.
Shirking responsibility
Likud faction chairman, MK Gideon Sa'ar, said that Olmert's testimony tried to portray the army as the only accountable party for the failure of the war, shirking the political echalon's responsibility.
"Olmert's statement that he would take the same actions as he did during the war teach us that he has not learned anything from his shortcomings, and that he is not the person to right the wrongs and prepare Israel for the challenges of the future," he added.
Sa'ar said that Peretz's testimony painted an embarrassing picture of the defense minister's unfamiliarity with basic defense issues and showed that he did not make any real effort to learn these subjects.
The National Religious Party also pointed an accusing finger towards Olmert, Pertez and Halutz. MK Zevulun Orlev said: "It is now clear why Olmert objected to the publication of his testimony. It shows him shunning responsibility and putting all the blame on the IDF.
"Olmert did not fulfill his duties as a leader during the war, he would do better to take responsibility for his failures and resign," he added.
Olmert received backing from Kadima MK Menahem Ben-Sasson: "Olmert's testimony reveals that he was working with a long-term outlook, and he had given the IDF specific tasks."
