Last update - 00:00 13/05/2007
IDF trying to locate top officer who slammed Peretz in media
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent
The Israel Defense Forces will launch Sunday an investigation in a bid to identify the senior officer who attacked Defense Minister Amir Peretz in the media, following the release of a damning report into the handling of the Second Lebanon War.
The NRG Web site of the Ma'ariv newspaper last Thursday published a report in which a "senior Home Front Command source" fiercely attacked Peretz, saying that his statements "were disconnected from reality."
The comment was directed at remarks by the defense minister that he had been forced to intervene in the work of the Home Front in order fix the failings exposed during the 34-day war last summer.
Peretz' office claimed that the minister's comments were supported by minutes of meetings held during the war.
Peretz's office was furious with the comment, especially its tone. It is unclear if officials in the defense minister's office asked the IDF chief of staff to intervene, but IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi decided that the IDF's Home Front unit should investigate the matter.
On Friday, Home Front commander Yitzhak (Gerry) Gershon decided to open an inquiry in order to identify the officer who made the comments.
Ashkenazi apparently was extremely angry with the incident, taking into account that prior to the release of the report's protocols, the chief of staff had ordered all senior officers not to comment on the testimonies without permission from the IDF Spokesman's Office.
Last March, Ashkenazi took severe steps when punishing three senior officers who had been in contact with the media during the Second Lebanon War. Former chief of staff Dan Halutz had opened the investigation into the three during his term.
Last week, IDF spokeswoman Miri Regev discussed her expected resignation from her position with Ashkenazi. Regev started her position after being appointed by former chief of staff Halutz in June 2005. She continued serving as spokeswoman after Halutz's resignation. Regev is expected to finish her term in the near future, although no exact date has been set. A possible candidate to replace Regev is Army Radio head Avi Benyahu.