Maj.-Gen. (res.) Amiram Levin
צילום: אביגיל עוזי
General blames Halutz for war failures
In sharpest criticism yet of IDF's handling of Lebanon war, Maj.-Gen. (res.) Amiram Levin says Northern Command, General Staff failed. 'Halutz erred when he rejected recommendation for ground invasion,' he states
A report on military failures in the Lebanon war laid the Chief of Staff Lit.-Gen. Dan Halutz, saying he erred when he rejected recommendation for a ground invasion and recruiting reservists in the initial stages of the war.
The report, which was compiled under the supervision of Maj.-Gen. (res.) Amiram Levin, said the Northern Command under Major.-Gen. Udi Adam gravely failed in its manage ment of military operations.
Channel 2 TV reported on Wednesday that Levin submitted his finding into the functioning of the Northern Command during the war a couple of days ago.
Levin told Ynet: "I don't know where these leaks are coming from. I don't know where the information is coming from. I submitted the report and by doing so I ended my part. I refuse to comment. The issue is important and therefore I was asked by the army to pen the report. My responsibility is to leak nothing. I neither confirm nor deny a thing. This is internal information."
The report criticized former Northern Command Chief Adam of not having been assertive enough in his demands that the Chief of Staff approves a large-scale ground offensive.
"The command's fire plan failed. You didn't focus your efforts. You held scattered battles."
Levin said the Deputy Chief of Staff Maj.-Gen. Moshe Kaplinsky and Maj.-Gen. Gadi Eisenkot should have played a more influential role in the decision making process.
The report also criticized Ground Forces Chief Maj.-Gen. Benny Ganz for not preparing his forces appropriately.
The report also ruled that the northern command failed to prepare adequately for the scenario of prolonged rocket fire into Israel.
