GiladS
09-09-2006, 06:57 PM
Thousands gather in Tel Aviv, call for state probe into war failureshttp://www.haaretz.com/hasen/images/0.gif
By Aluf Benn (aluf@haaretz.co.il) and Yuval Yoaz (yuvaly@haaretz.co.il), Haaretz Correspondent, and *******
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/images/0.gif
Tens of thousands gathered Saturday night in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv to support a call for a state investigation into the war.
Speakers at the protest were to include former education minister Yossi Sarid (Meretz) and former defense minister Moshe Arens (Likud).
Protest leader and chairman of the Movement for Quality Government in Israel Attorney Eliad Shraga said at the rally "we have gathered here in all colors of the political spectrum, from all socio-economic levels, and holding a wide range of beliefs, in order to demand the formation of an independent commission of inquiry, a professional, objective and unbiased commission."
"The corruption that brought about the collapse of departments within the government during peace-time, is the same corruption that brought about the complete paralysis of the government during the war," he said.
Moshe Arens added "never have there been such confusing and contradictory orders issued in the handling of a war."
Yossi Sarid called on Olmert, Defense Minister Amir Peretz and Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Dan Halutz to resign.
"If you don't go home on your own initiative, Israeli democracy will send you home," Sarid said.
The demonstration was also to include video footage from the war, and several musical performances
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will not immediately seek cabinet approval for a new composition of the panel he appointed to examine the conduct of the war in Lebanon.
The panel, headed by former Mossad chief Nahum Admoni, was expected to be submitted for approval on Sunday.
Sources in Jerusalem have suggested three causes for the delay in submitting the new panel for approval. The first is a decision by Attorney General Menachem Mazuz on Tuesday to disqualify two panel candidates due to possible conflicts of interest.
Olmert has appointed two additional candidates to replace Yedidya Ya'ari and David Ivry, but the investigation into a possible conflict of interests on the part of the new nominees has not yet been completed.
The second reason is the ongoing dispute between members of the Admoni panel and the Prime Minister's Office over the panel's range of authority. Admoni wants the panel to be able to grant immunity to individuals who would testify before it, so that their testimony would not be admissible in court. This kind of power can only be awarded by the Knesset and not the prime minister.
The third factor is the collapse of the committee appointed by Defense Minister Amir Peretz, to be headed by former IDF chief of staff Amnon Lipkin Shahak, that was intended to look into the functioning of the defense establishment during the month-long war. To date, a replacement commission has not yet been appointed, and Olmert is still deliberating on its composition.
As a result of the delay, the inquiry into the actions of local and regional officials during the war, to be carried out by the State Comptroller's Office, will also be postponed. Olmert hopes to bring all the panels before the cabinet for simultaneous approval.
On Sunday, Supreme Court justices will discuss the petition submitted by Omets, a non-profit watchdog organization, demanding the formation of a state commission of inquiry into war failures.
The State Prosecution issued an official response, saying that Omets's petition was submitted prematurely. Once the cabinet officially approves some form of inquiry, if it is not in accordance with Omets's demands, they will have to re-submit the current petition in order for their demands to be considered.
Link (http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/760554.html)
TA: Protest calling for state commission of inquiry
Movement for Quality Government and Baltam forum for reservists band together to demand adequate investigation of failures in Lebanon war
Miri Chason
Almost a month after the end of the second Lebanon war, the Movement for Quality Government in Israel (MQG), in conjunction with the Baltam Forum – representing reserve soldiers – gathered in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv, under the banner 'State Commission of Inquiry Now'. Some 30,000 protestors attended.
Carrying signs reading, among others, 'What is there to hide?', 'Conscience demands inquiry' and 'State, state, state', protestors demonstrated their disapprobation of Olmert's investigative efforts thus far.
Chairman of the Baltam forum Roi Ron told Ynet: "We demand a state commission of inquiry to determine how reserve soldiers were sent to war without ammunition, without protection, without food and without water. Soldiers who hadn't trained in years."
In addition to a state commission of inquiry, Baltam demands a formal renewal of standards of training and equipage of reserve soldiers, as well as the creation of an annual training program for all reserve units.
"We demand that a commission be formed and that a reserves law be legislated to formalize these things. We want a state commission of inquiry led by a senior judge. A commission that has the necessary jurisdiction to investigate the past and the present and to act for the future," Ron added.
Singer Nimrod Lev performed the song "I became a hostage" after being asked to attend the rally by reservists from Jerusalem. Lev said, "I arrived as a resident of the north who experienced 34 days of war…I can tell you that the government's failure regarding the home front is outrageous, the north was simply abandoned by the government…It is my duty as a resident of the north to do my part to help their just struggle."
Protestors of all stripes
MQG Chairman Eliad Shraga appealed to the all of the nation to join the rally, which contained people from all sides of the political spectrum. One of the speakers at the rally was former Meretz chairman and minister Yossi Sarid. His presence, said Shraga, was an answer to "all those people (primarily from the Peace Now movement) who portrayed this protest as something orange."
Naveh Tzupkov, a Tel Aviv resident and former officer in the anti-aircraft unit, said that "it's important to investigate all of the problems exposed by this war. Problems that were always present and that everyone in the army knew about. The army is something tiny. A state commission of inquiry has the least dependence on people who took part in this war. It's not dependent on the political sources who are looking to keep their seat."
Yehuda Kahani from Tel Aviv, who lived through all of Israel's wars and the subsequent commissions of inquiry, said that voting by text message was the way to go. "I came to the rally so that people wouldn't say that everyone had stayed home because they think that Olmert was ok."
However, he understands why others didn't do the same. "People are tired of demonstrations and protests, and in my opinion, there needs to be a different way to determine the national opinion. If 'A star is born' (reality TV series) can garner a million and a half votes by text message, I'm sure that millions would vote and say what they really think."
"There won't be a state commission of inquiry. They'll drag their feet, just like they're doing now. A month has passed and what has happened? Spin after spin after spin," he concluded sadly.
Link (http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3301667,00.html)
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By Aluf Benn (aluf@haaretz.co.il) and Yuval Yoaz (yuvaly@haaretz.co.il), Haaretz Correspondent, and *******
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/images/0.gif
Tens of thousands gathered Saturday night in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv to support a call for a state investigation into the war.
Speakers at the protest were to include former education minister Yossi Sarid (Meretz) and former defense minister Moshe Arens (Likud).
Protest leader and chairman of the Movement for Quality Government in Israel Attorney Eliad Shraga said at the rally "we have gathered here in all colors of the political spectrum, from all socio-economic levels, and holding a wide range of beliefs, in order to demand the formation of an independent commission of inquiry, a professional, objective and unbiased commission."
"The corruption that brought about the collapse of departments within the government during peace-time, is the same corruption that brought about the complete paralysis of the government during the war," he said.
Moshe Arens added "never have there been such confusing and contradictory orders issued in the handling of a war."
Yossi Sarid called on Olmert, Defense Minister Amir Peretz and Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Dan Halutz to resign.
"If you don't go home on your own initiative, Israeli democracy will send you home," Sarid said.
The demonstration was also to include video footage from the war, and several musical performances
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will not immediately seek cabinet approval for a new composition of the panel he appointed to examine the conduct of the war in Lebanon.
The panel, headed by former Mossad chief Nahum Admoni, was expected to be submitted for approval on Sunday.
Sources in Jerusalem have suggested three causes for the delay in submitting the new panel for approval. The first is a decision by Attorney General Menachem Mazuz on Tuesday to disqualify two panel candidates due to possible conflicts of interest.
Olmert has appointed two additional candidates to replace Yedidya Ya'ari and David Ivry, but the investigation into a possible conflict of interests on the part of the new nominees has not yet been completed.
The second reason is the ongoing dispute between members of the Admoni panel and the Prime Minister's Office over the panel's range of authority. Admoni wants the panel to be able to grant immunity to individuals who would testify before it, so that their testimony would not be admissible in court. This kind of power can only be awarded by the Knesset and not the prime minister.
The third factor is the collapse of the committee appointed by Defense Minister Amir Peretz, to be headed by former IDF chief of staff Amnon Lipkin Shahak, that was intended to look into the functioning of the defense establishment during the month-long war. To date, a replacement commission has not yet been appointed, and Olmert is still deliberating on its composition.
As a result of the delay, the inquiry into the actions of local and regional officials during the war, to be carried out by the State Comptroller's Office, will also be postponed. Olmert hopes to bring all the panels before the cabinet for simultaneous approval.
On Sunday, Supreme Court justices will discuss the petition submitted by Omets, a non-profit watchdog organization, demanding the formation of a state commission of inquiry into war failures.
The State Prosecution issued an official response, saying that Omets's petition was submitted prematurely. Once the cabinet officially approves some form of inquiry, if it is not in accordance with Omets's demands, they will have to re-submit the current petition in order for their demands to be considered.
Link (http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/760554.html)
TA: Protest calling for state commission of inquiry
Movement for Quality Government and Baltam forum for reservists band together to demand adequate investigation of failures in Lebanon war
Miri Chason
Almost a month after the end of the second Lebanon war, the Movement for Quality Government in Israel (MQG), in conjunction with the Baltam Forum – representing reserve soldiers – gathered in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv, under the banner 'State Commission of Inquiry Now'. Some 30,000 protestors attended.
Carrying signs reading, among others, 'What is there to hide?', 'Conscience demands inquiry' and 'State, state, state', protestors demonstrated their disapprobation of Olmert's investigative efforts thus far.
Chairman of the Baltam forum Roi Ron told Ynet: "We demand a state commission of inquiry to determine how reserve soldiers were sent to war without ammunition, without protection, without food and without water. Soldiers who hadn't trained in years."
In addition to a state commission of inquiry, Baltam demands a formal renewal of standards of training and equipage of reserve soldiers, as well as the creation of an annual training program for all reserve units.
"We demand that a commission be formed and that a reserves law be legislated to formalize these things. We want a state commission of inquiry led by a senior judge. A commission that has the necessary jurisdiction to investigate the past and the present and to act for the future," Ron added.
Singer Nimrod Lev performed the song "I became a hostage" after being asked to attend the rally by reservists from Jerusalem. Lev said, "I arrived as a resident of the north who experienced 34 days of war…I can tell you that the government's failure regarding the home front is outrageous, the north was simply abandoned by the government…It is my duty as a resident of the north to do my part to help their just struggle."
Protestors of all stripes
MQG Chairman Eliad Shraga appealed to the all of the nation to join the rally, which contained people from all sides of the political spectrum. One of the speakers at the rally was former Meretz chairman and minister Yossi Sarid. His presence, said Shraga, was an answer to "all those people (primarily from the Peace Now movement) who portrayed this protest as something orange."
Naveh Tzupkov, a Tel Aviv resident and former officer in the anti-aircraft unit, said that "it's important to investigate all of the problems exposed by this war. Problems that were always present and that everyone in the army knew about. The army is something tiny. A state commission of inquiry has the least dependence on people who took part in this war. It's not dependent on the political sources who are looking to keep their seat."
Yehuda Kahani from Tel Aviv, who lived through all of Israel's wars and the subsequent commissions of inquiry, said that voting by text message was the way to go. "I came to the rally so that people wouldn't say that everyone had stayed home because they think that Olmert was ok."
However, he understands why others didn't do the same. "People are tired of demonstrations and protests, and in my opinion, there needs to be a different way to determine the national opinion. If 'A star is born' (reality TV series) can garner a million and a half votes by text message, I'm sure that millions would vote and say what they really think."
"There won't be a state commission of inquiry. They'll drag their feet, just like they're doing now. A month has passed and what has happened? Spin after spin after spin," he concluded sadly.
Link (http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3301667,00.html)
..........