Olmert: IDF drawing lessons from Lebanon war
Prime minister tours military posts along northern border with defense minister, chief of staff Halutz; ‘Now we have a more responsible, mature IDF,’ he says
Olmert said he met junior officers "who carried the burden of fighting on their backs and showed great courage. It was important to hear from them about overcoming difficulties and the failures and how lessons are being drawn."
Olmert was updated by Brigadier General Gal Hirsch, commander of the Galilee Division 91, about the situation in southern Lebanon.
Israeli jets roamed over southern Lebanon and the southern Beirut suburb of Dahiya, a Hizbullah stronghold which was destroyed by Israel.
Olmert in IDF post along boder with Lebanon (Photo: GPO)
Olmert said lessons are being drawn "so that when the time comes, be it sooner or later, officers and their units will be prepared to defend Israel's northern border."
"We have a more responsible IDF, more mature, and that knows to learn from mistakes and fix them," Olmert said.
Olmert said officers explained that Hizbullah has been pushed back from the border with Israel. "Before the war, Hizbullah posts were 15 meters from the border as Hizbullah was able to extend its hand inside Israel. From these posts two IDF soldiers were kidnapped. The freedom that Hizbullah had is no longer. It cannot fire straight at Israeli citizens in the patios of their homes," he said.
Olmert, Peretz, Halutz meet IDF officers (Photo: GPO)
Acco visit
Olmert laid the cornerstone of a new building project in Acco. "This is a turning point in the history of Acco and the north. Acco is turning from a city of departure and negative atmosphere into a city that people come to. It will become a city that symbolizes growth in the north," he said.
Acco Mayor Shimon Lankri praised Olmert for backing the project, which he said has been delayed for 15 years.
He also thanked Vice Premier Shimon Peres for advancing the project, which he said would house up to 1000 new families.
Lankri also thanked Olmert for having visited the city five times since coming to office half a year ago, saying that NIS 400 million (USD 93 million) have been invested in various projects in the city.
