Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., November 13, 2007 Kislev 3, 5768 | | Israel Time: 10:27 (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

Brigadier General Gal Hirsch, speaking Sunday in his first public comments since resigning in the wake of the Second Lebanon War. (Alon Ron) del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 09:02 12/11/2007 Ex-IDF commander blasts top brass for Lebanon war conduct By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent tags: Second Lebanon War  Brigadier General Gal Hirsch, who commanded the Israel Defense Forces' Galilee Division during the Second Lebanon War, lambasted the army's top brass on Sunday over their conduct during the war. In his first public appearance since his official discharge a few weeks ago, Hirch said, "The senior military echelon hid behind its fighters on the field, abandoned them, and did not take any responsibility on itself." Hirsch also said that the war was not investigated properly and that should another war break out, the failures of the last one would likely repeat themselves. Advertisement He claimed that the principal failure was not general but ethical, and said there was a lack of support of senior General Staff members toward the commanders of the various divisions and the officers directly below them. According to Hirsch, the IDF allowed the worst norms of a political party to infiltrate into military behavior, leading to a dangerous politicization of the army. The brigadier general added that the investigation into the abduction of reservist soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev was "distorted, lacking and tendentious," calling it a "grave intelligence failure." Hirsch made the comments during an address at the launch of a recently published book on the war by journalist Amir Rappaport. Related articles: Gal Hirsch: MI warning would have prevented soldiers' abduction GOC Northern Command: Gal Hirsch helped change face of Lebanese border Head of IDF inquiry into Division 91: Lebanon war didn't have defined goals Bookmark to del.icio.us Religious identity Palestinian negotiator Erekat: Palestinians won't accept Israel as a 'Jewish State' Freedom of expression The head of Google Israel refuses to censor anti-Jewish hate material on the internet.   1.   WHY ARE THE RESPONSIBLE POLITICIANS ALL UNDER HOUSE ARREST? 23:32  |  Alon Chiloni 11/11/07   2.   Politicians above the law 23:42  |  Nora 11/11/07   3.   YES WE KNOW BUT NO ONE IS LISTENED. 23:49  |  WARRIOR 11/11/07   4.   Gal Hirsch.- Time Out? 00:14  |  Stephen. 12/11/07   5.   OF COURSE OLMERT 03:36  |  Gabriel 12/11/07   6.   Soldiers Lives Over Career Advancement 03:52  |  Yoram 12/11/07   7.   Wrong Again 05:15  |  Natallie Durson 12/11/07   8.   Boat has been missed Gal 06:16  |  Rammi Abraham 12/11/07   9.   Lebanon war conduct - re # 4 & # 7 07:05  |  Henk 12/11/07   10.   And the israelis claimed that.... 07:28  |  indrajaya 12/11/07   11.   ISRAEL DAMNED! 09:49  |  NAD 12/11/07   12.   Durson you`re the enemy 10:05  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 12/11/07   13.   indrajaya - the truth is even worse than you imagine 10:05  |  CK Tan 12/11/07   14.   Hirst victim of corrupt politics 12:47  |  miloimnick frm north 12/11/07   15.   # 9 Henk- Go and fry a falafel 13:32  |  Stephen. 12/11/07   16.   Grasping for straws 05:20  |  Mike 13/11/07   17.   #7 ON TARGET 06:16  |  LARRY 13/11/07

Today Online Burston: Palestine, and the crime of being a Jewish state Responses: 34 Rosner: Oy vey, no catastrophe to talk about at the GA Responses: 7 Harel & Issacharoff: Hamas losing grip on Gaza, Fatah gaining Responses: 15 Israel, PA agree to plan that skips first stage of road map Responses: 35 Haaretz.com TV: 'Gazans detained by IDF return naked' Responses: 5 Rosner's Domain Rosner's Guest: Vanessa Ochs on inventing Jewish rituals GA 2007: Oy vey, no catastrophe to talk about Reasons to like John McCain (WTR) Ahead of summit, N.Y. Congressman fears for Mideast stability More Headlines 08:07 Major IDF drill to simulate large-scale W. Bank clashes 02:36 PM: Israel, PA agree to plan that skips first stage of road map 06:54 ANALYSIS: Hamas losing grip on Gaza, Fatah gaining support 08:38 Search panel selects Moshe Lador as next state prosecutor 03:36 Ultra-Orthodox program taught in schools despite ministry ban 05:38 Turkey asks Peres for a Turkish Cypriot representative office in Tel Aviv 04:51 New plan aimed at helping infirm elderly regain independence 01:56 In the West Bank, wanted militants are made to feel unwanted 06:46 Alperon crime family defendants charged with aggravated assault 06:02 High school principals: Cancel winter matriculation exams Previous Editions Select Day 12 nov 11 nov 09 nov 08 nov 07 nov 06 nov 05 nov 04 nov 02 nov 01 nov 31 oct 30 oct

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