Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., October 05, 2008 Tishrei 6, 5769 | | Israel Time: 16:46 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Former IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon. (Tomer Neuberg)
Last update - 11:12 17/09/2008
Ex-IDF chief Ya'alon: Air force failed in Second Lebanon War
By Yuval Azoulay
Tags: IDF, Second Lebanon War 

Former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Moshe Ya'alon on Tuesday issued a harsh criticism of the Israel Air Force's operations during the Second Lebanon War, claiming it failed in its mission.

During statements he made Tuesday at a military and security conference at the Armored Corps Museum in Latrun Ya'alon said "There was an air agenda and a dictatorial way of thinking, and after this way failed, there were those who placed the blame on others," he said.

This is not the first time that Ya'alon has attacked the military leadership during the July 2006 war. "If they had determined the right objectives, the war could have been finished from the air within five days."
Advertisement
"An air agenda was part of the decision-making process," Ya'alon added. "The air force leadership thought that this was their opportunity to put on a show. After the war, they pushed their responsibility onto their inferiors."

The former chief of staff compared the government decision-making process prior to the war with the process that lead to operation 'Grapes of Wrath' in 1996 which attempted to end the shelling of northern Israel by Hezbollah, saying "Many discussions were held prior to the Grapes of Wrath operation whereas before the Second Lebanon war, there was a two and a half hour talk which did not define any military goals." "It was decided to carry out a retaliatory mission which wasn't even called a war."

Related articles:
  • When a nation loses its wisdom
  • News / Palestinian man threatens suicide if Ya'alon speaks
  • Minister Ayalon appeals to Shas leader to remain in coalition
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Forgotten peace
    French FM: I fear distracted world may forget Mideast peace process.
    Settlers vs. Shin Bet
    Daniela Weiss: Shin Bet behind attack on left-wing advocate prof. Sternhell.
      1.   Hmmmm.... 09:56  |  Shtarka 17/09/08
      2.   Isn`t this exactly what Nasrallah said? 10:08  |  Sadiq M 17/09/08
      3.   Of course they failed, but why, read on 10:18  |  Harvey 17/09/08
      4.   #1 - the fish starts to rot at the head .. 10:29  |  redmike 17/09/08
      5.   This can`t be right 10:32  |  Clickfool 17/09/08
      6.   Ya`lon on IAF Failure in Lebanon War 11:39  |  yonatan 17/09/08
      7.   CFOOL Israelis know they make mistakes and acknowledge them 12:50  |  PETER SM 17/09/08
      8.   Ya`alon seems to be right-on-focus this time... 12:51  |  Esther 17/09/08
      9.   J Date definitely needs a prettier model 12:55  |  dyinglikeflies 17/09/08
      10.   SADIQ What did your brothers win?Why aren`t they in Israel? 12:57  |  PETER SM 17/09/08
      11.   Lebanon war must be viewed as a wrong Israeli response 13:00  |  Ivar 17/09/08
      12.   #5 Clickfool 13:09  |  H 17/09/08
      13.   So the death of 1200 women and children 13:26  |  Chris Linthwaite 17/09/08
      14.   Great Avowalَ 13:30  |  Mahdi 17/09/08
      15.   IT DOESN`T MEAN IT WAS A VICTORY FOR HIZBOLLAH 13:50  |  Ian 17/09/08
      16.   IAF COMMITTED A SERIOUS CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY 14:10  |  indrajaya 17/09/08
      17.   #16 INDRAJAYA :BLAME HIZBOLLAH 15:06  |  Ian 17/09/08
      18.   The mother of empty claims of failure! Ya`alon or the article? 15:14  |  S 17/09/08
      19.   IAF did not fail 15:30  |  matt 17/09/08
      20.   Lost not Failed 15:36  |  najour 17/09/08
      21.   Belaboring the obvious 15:48  |  Natallie Durson 17/09/08
      22.   Mahdi- your site made me laugh!!! 16:34  |  E.A 17/09/08
      23.   Reply to Esther (Post No. 8) 16:46  |  Johnny Weintraub 17/09/08
      24.   The witches of the bad consciousness of the Other... 16:51  |  Israeli citizen 17/09/08
      25.   Chris#13...an expert at tendentious misrepresenting... 16:51  |  Esther 17/09/08
      26.   Failure was indescriminate killing 17:03  |  Anne 17/09/08
      27.   The witches of the bad consciousness of the Other... 17:24  |  Israeli citizen 17/09/08
      28.   IAF planes were running after single terrorists 17:36  |  Rick & TC 17/09/08
      29.   The witches of the bad consciousness of the Other... 17:42  |  Israeli citizen 17/09/08
      30.   Response to # 5 Clickfool - endless time available 17:44  |  Mike 17/09/08
      31.   The `Air Power` myth 17:59  |  Mark Lincoln 17/09/08
      32.   israeli citizen thanking nietzche!! 18:07  |  observation 17/09/08
      33.   I live in lebanon... 18:18  |  northern neighbor 17/09/08
      34.   Another fly, come to honey, oh fly "observation! 18:22  |  Israeli citizen 17/09/08
      35.   Stop whining like Steinitz and start changing things from within 18:31  |  action not words 17/09/08
      36.   northern neighbour 19:18  |  x-ray 17/09/08
      37.   Grapes of wrath! 19:19  |  ClearCut 17/09/08
      38.   I said before, and say again: Yaalon said nothing specific 19:22  |  S 17/09/08
      39.   northern neighbor,do you support lebanon having a separate armed 22:06  |  terrornator 17/09/08
      40.   Maybe, But Ya`alon Has a Lot To Answer For 22:43  |  Tod Zuckerman 17/09/08
      41.   Yaalon -Air Force failed in Lebanon War 22:46  |  Joe Charlaff 17/09/08
      42.   S#38 23:11  |  Esther 17/09/08
      43.   Terrornator at #39 00:09  |  mad world 18/09/08
      44.   13Chris-Its always women/children/weddings/babymilk/mosques/hospi 01:24  |  Alan SA 18/09/08
      45.   Ayalon has forgot the loss of the Iranian investment 02:44  |  CareForHumanity 18/09/08
      46.   #7, PETER SM, no they don`t 02:47  |  VIPER 18/09/08
      47.   #39, TERRONATOR, I DO 02:51  |  VIPER 18/09/08
      48.   CLEARCUT pro Arab BBC report saying G.O.R.followed Hez attacks on 04:09  |  PETER SM 18/09/08
      49.   IAF will continue failing from now on 04:11  |  Aounist 18/09/08
      50.   N.NEIGHBOUR Thousands of shrapnell loaded missiles at Israelis 04:21  |  PETER SM 18/09/08
      51.   Peter SM 06:09  |  ELIAS 18/09/08
      52.   to Ivar...not one arab can be trusted 06:28  |  real vision 18/09/08
      53.   Now THAT`s a brilliant and original afterthought ! 07:03  |  Fortuna Benmayor 18/09/08
      54.   Yes Esther #42 I am very delighted about Tsipi. Also, 08:44  |  S 18/09/08
      55.   PETER SM #7 09:21  |  Immy 18/09/08
      56.   Yaalon did his homework 10:13  |  Mladen Andrijasevic 18/09/08
      57.   Re S#48 10:22  |  Esther 18/09/08
      58.   ClearCut lies 10:30  |  x-ray 18/09/08
      59.   It doesn`t take a chief to figure that one out 10:36  |  Joseph Lebanese 18/09/08
      60.   All the wrong reasons 10:58  |  Guy From NYC 18/09/08
      61.   to Joseph the lebanese 15:32  |  Harry 18/09/08
      62.   future 15:47  |  romany 18/09/08
      63.   Deep sleep. 17:18  |  Baz Mann 18/09/08
      64.   #16/60.Indrajaya &Guy from NYC. SPOT ON. 18:27  |  Matt. 18/09/08
      65.   Censorship 18:50  |  Sean 18/09/08
      66.   Just do the math, everyone... 18:50  |  Jimmy 18/09/08
      67.   mark lincoln re air power limitations 19:51  |  potobac 18/09/08
      68.   peter sm re attacking lebanese civilians 20:01  |  potobac 18/09/08
      69.   Damn! 20:27  |  paul 18/09/08
      70.   x-ray, re children are civilians too 08:28  |  ClearCut 19/09/08
      71.   The IDF is not designed to fight unconventional wars 13:36  |  L A 19/09/08
      72.   Lebonon war fail? 19:36  |  Thoma 19/09/08
      73.   Thanks Natallie Durson 23:43  |  Anton Ode 19/09/08
      74.   IAF & IDF Failed & Learned a Lesson. 11:01  |  Mohamad from Lebanon 20/09/08
      75.   re: Joseph Lebanese 19:25  |  UsedToPostHere 20/09/08
      76.   good luck for the third war against Hizbullah 04:58  |  Mark 21/09/08
      77.   j date model 16:36  |  Rob of melbourne 05/10/08
     Read & React
    French FM to Haaretz: Israel will act before Iran gets bomb
    Responses: 90
    Editorial: IDF complicit in settler thugs' violence
    Responses: 25
    Akiva Eldar: The PA is a fig leaf covering the nakedness of occupation
    Responses: 13
    ANALYSIS / IDF plans to use disproportionate force in next war
    Responses: 49
    Gideon Levy: Olmert has euthanized the Israeli right
    Responses: 20


    More Headlines
    16:12 Gov't seeks to quell financial fears as Tel Aviv stocks plummet
    08:28 French FM to Haaretz: Israel will act before Iran gets bomb
    12:10 ANALYSIS / IDF plans to use disproportionate force in next war
    16:03 Iran: We won't halt enrichment even if nuclear fuel supply guaranteed
    14:00 Israeli hacker 'The Analyzer' accused of masterminding global fraud
    06:19 Palestinian father refused entry into Israel as son enlists in IDF
    13:01 Lithuanian academic blasts war crimes probe of ex-Yad Vashem chief
    16:37 60% of factories exceed air pollution limits
    09:09 Olmert to head to Russia for talks on missiles sale to Iran
    14:52 Suspects in T.A. doctor murder case released to house arrest
    08:32 Livni to give first foreign-policy speech since Kadima win
    14:12 Men who gouged cab driver's eye with screwdriver jailed for 8 years
    15:56 Hezbollah dismisses Israeli threats of destruction in next war
    12:23 T.A. court acquits two suspects in attempted gangland hit
    01:37 NEW ON HAARETZ.COM / Play the news: Build your own Israeli government
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    Dial 013 for your long-distance calls
    and get all your money back
    US CITIZENS
    Vote for real change. Request your ballot today!
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    Israel's Premier Real Estate Website
    www. israel-property.com
    Hebrew Summer courses
    From $39.95
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
    birthright Israel | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved