Last update - 02:18 01/05/2007
Hezbollah: Report confirms Israeli confusion in war
By The Associated Press
BEIRUT - Hezbollah and Lebanese officials were mostly mum yesterday after the Winograd report accused Israel's wartime leaders of severe failures during last summer's war in Lebanon.
But one Hezbollah official had harsh words for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and others, saying the report confirmed that Israel's leaders were in a state of confusion during the 34-day war.
"The report confirmed the inability of the Israeli political and military leadership to take the appropriate decision to confront Hezbollah during the summer war," said Sheik Hassan Ezzeddine, Hezbollah's most senior political officer in southern Lebanon.
Other Hezbollah officials declined to comment on the report, saying they needed time to carefully read it. A spokesman for Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora also declined to comment immediately.
Israel went to war after Hezbollah guerrillas killed three soldiers and captured two others in a cross-border raid on July 12.
Yesterday's report said that Olmert hastily led the country into conflict without a comprehensive plan, exercised poor judgment and bore ultimate responsibility for a war that Israelis widely fear has emboldened the country's enemies.
Olmert, who has already faced strident calls for resignation from his political opponents, said the failures will be remedied and vowed to remain in office.
But Ezzeddine predicted that political, public and military pressure would eventually force Olmert to step down. "Olmert will not be able to stay put in the face of pressure from the military, opposition parties and the Israeli public," he said.