Barak won't interfere in legal clash over final Winograd report - Haaretz

Subscribe to Print Edition

Thu., October 11, 2007 ,

Israel Time: 12:00 (EST+7)

web haaretz.com

Back to Homepage

Print Edition

Diplomacy

Defense

Arts & Leisure

Real Estate

Jewish World

National

Advertising

Magazine

Week's End

Business

Opinion

Rosner's Domain

Anglo File

Books

Travel

del.icio.us

Digg It! new

Last update - 10:15 11/10/2007

Barak won't interfere in legal clash over final Winograd report

By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent

Defense Minister Ehud Barak does not intend to interfere in the legal dispute over the final report of the Winograd Committee investigating the Second Lebanon War, his office told Haaretz Wednesday.

Barak does not intend to order the head of the defense team at the Military Advocate General, Colonel Orna David, to rescind her letter to the Winograd Committee.

I

	Advertisement

n her letter, she asked the Winograd Committee to verify reports that it does not intend to issue warning letters to officers who may be personally affected by the findings in its final report.

In her letter to the Winograd Committee on Tuesday, David warned that unless such warning letters were issued and the right to respond granted to the officers in question, MAG would petition the High Court of Justice.

News of David's letter drew the ire of many MKs, who called on Barak to intervene in the matter.

Knesset Member Yuval Steinitz (Likud) and MK Ophir Pines (Labor), criticized the steps taken by the chief defense attorney at MAG, saying it would cause an unnecessary delay to the publication of the committee's final report.

Steinitz called on Barak to order David to "put an end to the absurdity" in which the IDF is confronting a government committee of investigation in the halls of the Supreme Court.

Brigadier-General Amichai Mandelblit, who heads MAG, learned from news reports of David's letter.

Even though David is officially subordinate to Mandelblit, she has complete professional autonomy in matters concerning the defense of officers and soldiers.

Senior sources in the MAG defense team said Wednesday they had not been pressured to rescind the letter, neither by Mandelblit nor Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi.

For its part, the Winograd Committee issued a statement Wednesday in response to a request by the Movement for Quality Government in Israel, that it only reach a final decision next week on whether its long-awaited report would include comments on specific individuals.

A debate is ongoing within the committee over how to handle this issue, especially in terms of its response if the Supreme Court imposes on it the granting of the right to respond to officers who may be harmed by its findings.

One of the options is for the Winograd Committee to simply disband, without issuing a final report.

Bookmark to del.icio.us


	Bad publicity
	Tiv Taam is fighting for public opinion in order to counter a consumer affairs T.V. show.


	The biggest stage
	For the first time in its history, Maccabi Tel Aviv will play against the New York Knicks.




1.	Winograd Ahmanidinograd	04:44	\|	nehemia dB	11/10/07

2.	Soon, the people will forget their displeasure with Olmert and -	11:47	\|	S	11/10/07

Today Online


	Hamas says it plans to hold reconciliation talks with Fatah
	Responses: 50


	Meron Benvenisti: E. J'lem Arabs oppose division of the city
	Responses: 2


	Harel: Constitution must ensure Israel's Jewish identity
	Responses: 3


	MI assessment: Mideast peace summit likely to fail
	Responses: 26

Rosner's Domain

* Romney's position on attacking Iran? better ask his lawyers

* WTR: The debate over Tutu

* Understanding the Israeli Attack on Syria

* Poll: A divided Jerusalem?

More Headlines
11:45 MI assessment: Mideast peace summit likely to fail


11:59 Palestinians: Border Police troops kill Fatah militant near Jenin


11:52 Haaretz survey: 51% of Israelis back Olmert's talks with Abbas


11:29 Police resume questioning of Olmert over Bank Leumi affair


11:48 Report: Israel believes troops abducted by Hezbollah are dead


10:29 Jerusalem conference seeks to revive the language of Ladino


11:41 Police question MK Ziv over sexual assault allegations


11:23 Air pollution in T.A. remains high despite environmental efforts


06:18 Israeli WWII veterans honored for service to Royal Navy


11:23 Putin spurns Leviev, invites 'Gaydamak's rabbi' to Kremlin


10:15 Barak won't interfere in legal clash over final Winograd report