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Gal-On, demands clarification
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Winograd, has 'moral and legal obligation'
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Gal-On to Winograd: Only personal recommendation will prevent disaster

In a harsh letter to head of the war inquiry committee, Meretz MK demands clarification on publications that the commission does not plan to publish personal recommendations against officials involved in Second Lebanon War

Following a Ynet report that the Winograd Commission investigation the failures of the Second Lebanon War has decided not to publish personal recommendations against officials involved, Meretz MK Zahava Gal-On sent a letter to the head of the commission, requesting clarification on the matter.

 

"I appeal to you with the request to verify media publications stating that the commission, headed by yourself, has decided to publish the final report without personal recommendations", Gal-On wrote in a letter to Judge Eliyahu Winograd on Tuesday.

 

"According to leaks, it seems that it will be a severe report, with harsh criticism against the prime minister, the political and military echelon, but no recommendations for impeachment. 

 

"The Cohen committee that examined the circumstances of the Sabra and Shatila massacre determined that an inquiry committee that does not exhaust the full force of the law against those responsible is abandoning its duty. To the best of my understanding, the things said in the report give you the moral and legal obligation to exhaust the full force of the law on the failed political echelon," the letter said.

 

The Winograd Commission is expected to publish its final report by the end of 2007 and will include a comprehensive analysis of steps taking during the war and the set of considerations that guided the political and military echelon.

 

Committee members are not expected to spare any criticism of the authorities' conduct during the war, but Ynet learned that personal recommendations against government and military officials will not be found in the report.

 

'Refute media publications'

"Even if the final report is severe and contains harsh criticism like the interim report regarding the political echelon's decision making process that led to, among other things, the war's last operation in which 33 soldiers were killed, and even if it contains harsh remakrs against those responsible, still, without operational conclusions against those responsible for the failure, this criticism will be important, but certainly not sufficient," the letter continued.

 

"Even if the findings are shocking and the conclusions negative, only personal recommendations will have practical validity of a court order.

 

"Although personal recommendations are not the main issue, I believe they are a necessary condition. Without personal recommendations, we will not be able to prevent those responsible for the failures from continuing to cause disasters in the future."

 

Gal-On added that "the bereaved parents, the wounded with scars on their bodies and minds, the million citizens that sat in shelters on the home front, and the public in Israel expect an official announcement by the committee, headed by yourself, to refute media publications and announce that it does plan on making personal recommendations in the final report".

 

Amnon Meranda contributed to this report

 


פרסום ראשון: 10.09.07, 12:57
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