Olmert gambled with soldiers' lives, says MK Gal-On
Knesset discusses Winograd Report findings, as opposition members slam prime minister for his conduct during the war, call on him to resign
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was scheduled to deliver a speech at the session, following which the Knesset was to hold a vote on whether to reject or endorse the PM's statement.
Meretz MK Zahava Gal-On, who spoke during the session, slammed the prime minister and called on him to resign. "You won the war for your own survival, but the State of Israel lost. A state is not a reality show, and therefore you must quit," she stated.
"You should have resigned after the release of the partial report," Gal-On added, and defined the war as "the Lebanon casino", saying, "You gambled with soldiers' lives in order to secure a public opinion victory."
Gal-On also criticized Defense Minister Ehud Barak for his decision to stay in the coalition, calling it a "moral failure."
Likud faction Chairman Gideon Sa'ar said Olmert was living up to his reputation as a man who would do anything for his personal promotion. "Mister prime minister, you dragged the public system in Israel to corruption that is beyond measure… but at the end of all the political bargains the ballot box awaits."
MK Zevulun Orlev (National Union-National Religious Party) said that "the prime minister has lost the moral authority to serve in office. Leadership is not a job, it’s a public vocation and can only exist as long as it receives the public's trust.
"Those who cannot assume responsibility for their failures cannot take responsibility for the State of Israel and its citizens," he stated.
One coalition member who tried to respond to the attacks against Olmert was MK Tzachi Hanegbi, who claimed that although the war was not a "success story," the public felt that the decision to go to war was justified.
Several other Kadima MKs also defended the prime minister, including MK Shai Hermesh, who blamed opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu for making false statements and trying to divide the nation.
