War Report Sparks Israeli Protests

A newly published report by the Winograd Commission is sparking protests in Israel over the government's handling of the 2006 war with Hezbollah in Lebanon, with some Israelis calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Analysts have long argued that the war, which began after Israel retaliated against Hezbollah fighters rocket attacks and the seizing of two Israeli soldiers, was a stalemate at best for Israel, which has long been viewed as militarily superior to its Arab neighbors. The commission was established in September 2006 to examine the preparation and conduct of the political and the security decisions of the summer war, according to the American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise. The report finds fault with Israel's strategic level governmental and defense processes, but does not hold the Prime Minister personally at fault.

The investigation, which lasted nearly a year and a half, produces an interim report in April of last year that focused on the decision of the government to go to war after the two Israeli soldiers, Ehud Goldwasser and Edad Regev, had been seized by Hezbollah. Many within and outside Israel have been critical of Olmert's handling of the war, including the decision to use overwhelming force, the strategy of a sustained air campaign followed by a limited ground incursion, and the decision to end the war without achieving any of the government's stated objectives. Israel's performance in the war effectively debunked the Arab perception of Israel's military invincibility.

Analysts feared a scathing report that severely criticized Olmert could cause his government to collapse. The Olmert government was left weakened after the 2006 war, and there have been widespread accusations of corruption throughout his administration. Several military officials involved in the war have already resigned their posts. Members of the opposition and some segments of the Israeli government have protested Olmert's conduct as outlined in the report, and have called for him to follow the path of his former military leaders.

Prime Minister Olmert has been attempting to move peace negotiations with the Palestinians forward, despite the weakened position of his government. Hezbollah rocket attacks targeting Israel were met with an all-out war in 2006, but continued rocket attacks from Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have thus far been met with limited military action and calls for more negotiations. Palestinians have fired more than 200 rockets into Israel in just the past two weeks of this year, according to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Sources: American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise, Israeli MFA