Last update - 00:00 23/01/2008
Bereaved parents call on PM to resign in 'alternative Winograd report'
By Yuval Azoulay, Haaretz Correspondent
An 'alternative Winograd report' released Wednesday, written by the bereaved families of Israel Defense Soldiers who were killed in the Second Lebanon War, called on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to resign due to his failure in handling the war.
"The Prime Minister cannot remain at his post even one day longer due to his great failure. He should have resigned immediately after the last soldier had left Lebanese soil."
The report, which will be submitted to the Knesset Wednesday, investigates three main issues: The choice to go to war, the war itself and the controversial final hours of fighting in which 34 IDF soldiers died. The report examines both the military as well as the government however personal recommendations are given only to the political leaders.
These harsh recommendations focus mainly on Olmert. In the report, the bereaved parents wrote that "Olmert is directly responsible for the death of our children" and that "the blood of our fallen sons is yelling at you from the earth".
Regarding the last 60 hours of war, the report states that the operation was "in order to create the image of victory" but "34 families lost their loved ones in those 60 hours. They were soldiers who died for nothing only so that the Israeli cabinet ministers could save themselves."
Grass-roots groups gear up to send PM home after Winograd war report
Combat soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces who served in the Second Lebanon War are among the groups planning to renew their fight for the resignation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert after the final Winograd Report comes out on January 30.
Tuesday night, about 10 reservists in their 30s met at the home of Lior Dinamez in Ramat Gan to map out the outlines of their fight. Almost anything goes, they decided. Although most were apolitical, they said they would join the struggle of politicians from across the spectrum. They would pressure Ehud Barak to leave the government immediately after the report is released and they would hold three major protest events in which they would sound their message: Olmert go home.
Dinamez came to the protest tent that his friend Roni Zweigenbaum set up in the Rose Garden in Jerusalem near the Knesset a few days after he returned from the battles in the western sector in Lebanon. He remained for more than a month. "After the war, I stood in Rabin Square, which was full of people and everyone was calling for Olmert to resign and he didn't. Today the political system is more ready for such a move," Dinamez said.
Dinamez says that if Barak does not make a political move, "We will lead a large public protest." Dinamez says he believes the large-scale protest in the first days after the war, which reached its height in a rally at Rabin Square, contributed to the resignation of the former chief of staff, Dan Halutz.
Dinamez says his group is unconnected with a coalition of reservist protesters calling themselves Habayta ("Go Home"), who are led by Major (res.) Tomer Buhadana and Major (res.) Yakir Segev. However their goals are the same, Dinamez says - sending Olmert home.
Habayta sent a sharply worded letter to Olmert Monday calling on him to resign, signed by 50 reserve company commanders.
"We already brought 150,000 people to Rabin Square and the people have spoken. Now the game that counts is the political one, and if we want to reach the goal of replacing the prime minister, we have to jump into that pool," a Habayta activist said.
The groups also plans a vigil to take place near Barak's apartment house, in North Tel Aviv.
Meanwhile, a group of bereaved parents is to submit their report this morning on the failures of the war to the Knesset State Control Committee. Moshe Muskal, whose son Raphanael was killed in the battle at Maroun e-Ras, said Tuesday that unlike the anticipated Winograd Report, the bereaved parents' report will call on individuals cited to take responsibility. "Our actions will also be directed against those ministers who kept silent in meetings during the war," Muskal said.
Related articles: