Last update - 00:00 02/03/2007
PM refused to testify before State Comptroller on aid to home front in war
By Haaretz Service
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert refused to appear before State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss in order to testify regarding assistance provided to the home front during the second Lebanon war, offering instead to respond to written questions.
According the State Comptroller's Office, Lindenstrauss sent a written request to the prime minister on December 25, asking him for a meeting on the issue. On January 7, Olmert informed the state comptroller that he does not intend to meet with him, and offering to respond to questions handed over to him in writing.
Although he believed Olmert's offer was inappropriate, Lindenstrauss agreed and sent the prime minister a document with a number of questions regarding the aid to the home front. As of yet, Olmert has not responded to the questions, despite the fact that the questions were given to him roughly a month and a half ago.
The director-general of the Prime Minister's Office, Ra'anan Dinur, appeared before Lindenstrauss, but the State Comptroller's Office believes he did not have the authority to respond to the questions for the prime minister.
The PMO said in response that "the state comptroller needed three weeks in order to hand over the questions in writing - although he demanded to receive the responses within only two weeks."
The PMO added that the questions deal with protocols that document events that are spread out over many years, and must be thoroughly read in order to provide serious answers. "We intend to give the state comptroller the thorough answers by the end of the month," the PMO said.
The prime minister's refusal to testify drew harsh criticism from MKs across the political spectrum on Friday.
The chairman of the Knesset State Control Committee, Zevulun Orlev (National Religious Party-National Union), said in response that he will insist on the obligation of every person being investigated by the state comptroller to answer all questions he is asked, as the law demands.
Likud faction whip Gideon Sa'ar said Olmert's behavior creates the impression of disregard for the law and an ongoing attempt to escape responsibility.
MK Aryeh Eldad (NRP-National Union) said Olmert is "thumbing his nose at the State Comptroller Law, just as he is thumbing his nose at other laws." Eldad added that it is no surprise that the prime minister is willing to be questioned only by inquiries that he himself appointed, such as the Winograd Committee.
MK Avshalom Vilan (Meretz) called the prime minister a "smart aleck" and said his behavior is "inappropriate." Vilan called the performance of government aid agencies during the war "scandalous," saying it is unfortunate that the person chiefly responsible is "playing a game of 'It appears to me?'"
The State Comptroller's Office has completed a scathing report on the assistance provided by government agencies to the civilian population during the Lebanon war. The 600-page report is expected to address a long list of bodies, including the government, the Israel Defense Forces Home Front Command, and various rescue agencies.
Knesset sources said they believe that, once the final report is made public, the opposition will try to lead an effort to establish a state commission of inquiry into the matter. The Knesset State Control committee has the authority to form such a commission of inquiry.
A draft of the report will be handed over to the relevant officials for their comments next week. In an unusual move, Lindenstrauss has decided to give the Knesset State Control Committee a short update on the reports findings on Tuesday.