Last update - 00:00 19/07/2007
Welfare minister to war probe: Army did not supply the goods
By Haaretz Service
Welfare Minister Isaac Herzog said in his statement before the Winograd committee published Thursday that "the general feeling is that the army did not supply the goods."
"The army was very predictable in its responses? I did not see a feeling of self confidence or a feeling of originality of thought?I did not feel enough entrepreneurship," he said.
Addressing the issue of the military's manpower, Herzog said that "the IDF should have the best people. The IDF has good people, but also mediocrity on certain levels, which are the levels that have to put things into action."
Herzog noted that he had reservations about former Isreal Defense Forces Chief Dan Halutz's decision to adopt an approach of openness to the media.
According to Herzog, the presence of reporters in the in the various brigades and headquarters "is a factor the affects purity of judgment."
Addressing the National Security Council, Herzog noted that it is important to avoid creating artificial blocks in the system in order not to paralyze its decision making processes, but added that "the NSC should have freedom of expression.
Herzog also said that "there is a lack of synchronization between the head of Military Intelligence, the head of the head of the Shin Bet security service and the Mossad."