MK: Probe Barak, Sharon governments
Labor Faction Chairman Ephraim Sneh sends email to his party members, slamming former PM Barak's unilateral withdrawal from Lebanon, criticizing Sharon government's failure to deal with Hizbullah threat
Knesset Member Ephraim Sneh, chairman of the Labor faction, sent an email to his party members over the weekend, in which he elaborates on the war's outcomes, slams former Prime Minister Ehud Barak's unilateral withdrawal from Lebanon, and harshly criticizes the conduct of former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's governments, which he said failed to deal with the Hizbullah threat on time.
Sneh also estimated in his letter that the public protest launched by reserve soldiers will continue in the coming weeks.
Sneh wrote that "we must look into the influence of the unilateral withdrawal from Lebanon without an agreement on Hizbullah's ability to become significantly stronger along the northern border, and why no actions were taken to prevent this strengthening before it was too late."
The Labor faction chairman proposed establishing a professional commission of inquiry with broad authorities, which will be able to provide immunity to those who testify.
According to Sneh, "it is not enough to look into the current government's conduct during the war, but we must launch an inquiry into the policy, the allocation of resources, the management of the war, by the four governments in office since 2000."
Therefore, Sneh recommends the establishment of a state commission of inquiry.
Were IDF and home front prepared?
And what should be checked following the war? According to Sneh's letter, "first of all, we must look into the IDF's preparedness for the war in the compulsory and reserve service. Also in terms of the equipment and arming, also in terms of the training exercises, and also in terms of the command's fitness. The home front's preparedness to be hit by thousands of rockets and missiles and to spend weeks in bomb shelters or in the center of Israel must also be checked."
MK Sneh wrote that there are two main questions which must be thoroughly examined: When the decision was made to launch a comprehensive air strike in Lebanon, were the decision makers aware of all the decision's ramifications, including the army and home front's preparedness for the war? And what where the reasons and considerations for the hesitant and late operation of the ground forces?
Sneh, a member of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, concludes: "Now there is no other way but to look into things. The aim of the inquiry is not dismiss senior officials, but to draw lessons. Drawing conclusions is crucial in order for Israel to prepare for the next conflict, which we don’t know when and where will take place, and in which we must win."
