Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., January 31, 2008 Shvat 24, 5768 | | Israel Time: 12:16 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Defense Minister and Labor Chairman Ehud Barak. (Daniel Bar-On) Last update - 12:06 31/01/2008 ANALYSIS: Mixed verdict in war report leaves protesters in a quandary By Lily Galili, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Protest movement, Olmert  Shortly after the final Winograd Report was released Wednesday evening, the atmosphere in the protest tent across from Defense Minister Ehud Barak's Tel Aviv home was like that in a courtroom after the reading out of an ambiguous verdict. Bereaved parents clutching pictures of the dead children and reservists who joined the fight for the prime minister's resignation wanted to hear an unequivocal verdict. Instead, they got the complex formulations of a cabinet-appointed committee. These were immediately translated into a question: Do we go on, and if so, how? The first part received an immediate "Yes." The "how" was not affected at all by the character of the report. S Advertisement ome protests feed off anger, others from pain. The one in the freezing, drafty tent is fed by both. And by hate. The report avoided conclusions about the people involved; in this protest, everything is personal. One by one, activists approached the microphone and read out the parts of the report that mention the political leaders. Even after the publication of the report, the goal is still the resignation of Ehud Olmert. Barak is still the means of action, through direct and indirect pressure on the prime minister. It is not for nothing that the protest tent was pitched in front of Barak's apartment building, Akirov Tower. "Unlike Olmert, Barak still has a lot to lose," the reservists said. "It's also our way of showing Olmert that we don't count him, even for the purposes of the protest." Near the end of the evening in the cold tent, Tafnit Chairman Uzi Dayan, a senior partner in the protest and a reserve major general, announced that the protest arena was now moving to the parliament. Trucks, loaded with equipment for rallies and protests throughout the country, are ready and waiting for their marching orders. The first certain target is the Knesset, across from which a big rally is scheduled to be held during the plenum session on the report. The remaining venues will be determined beginning this morning in accordance with political developments and the weather. But Barak will remain the object of the protest. "We will follow him wherever he goes," the activists promised. "We will act directly." The aim is to get him to follow through on his promise to resign after the release of the final report. "He's already sending out feelers to open a communication channel with us," Dayan told Haaretz. No learned formulations of a cautious committee could quell the pain and anger in the freezing tent that was nearly knocked over in the wind. "This prime minister, he must not be given soldiers," Dayan said, with uncharacteristic bluntness. "This report is much worse than we expected." Lior Dinamez, a major in the reserves in the Alexandroni Brigade, who joined the protest soon after the war, says the same thing but in the first person. "I, as a reservist, am afraid to go to war with Olmert as the head of state. I know that I will report if ordered, but it will be with fear. It doesn't matter what the report says. The circular deal the prime minister cut by appointing an unqualified defense minister to give the treasury portfolio to a friend cost lives. For that, no inquiry committee is needed," Dinamez said. More on the Winograd Report: The partial Winograd report of April 2007 War probe panel 'shocked' by IDF performance in Lebanon war PM's camp pressures Labor to stay in coalition post-Winograd Reservists plan protest to 'help Barak decide' to resign Bookmark to del.icio.us   Painful lessons The IDF has already learnt lessons of the Second Lebanon War. Brothers in guilt 'We are all guilty; is an effective summary of the final Winograd report.   1.   The author wants to make it sound as if getting rid of Olmert 06:03  |  Genuine Tosefta 31/01/08   2.   Grave injustice to Democratic proces 07:43  |  Danny 31/01/08   3.   Uzi Dayan. 08:31  |  Esther 31/01/08   4.   ahhh it must be good to be Ultra Orthadox 08:39  |  SJ 31/01/08   5.   it`s later than you think 08:40  |  Moshe 31/01/08   6.   Meaningless protest. 08:43  |  Esther 31/01/08   7.   IF OLMERT DOESNT LEAVE..NO ONE WILL SHOW UP FOR RESERVE DUTY! 09:27  |  RESERVIST 31/01/08   8.   And what about Nasrallah? 10:13  |  Esther 31/01/08   9.   I wont fight for Olmert PM 10:42  |  Ian 31/01/08   10.   GO HOME PROTESTORS 11:56  |  MJ 31/01/08

Today Online PM: War report 'lifts moral stigma' from me Responses: 35 Jewish group to build 200 new homes in East Jerusalem Responses: 34 Winograd: Current use of cluster bombs not in line with int'l law Responses: 19 Yossi Verter: Now that the war report is out, all eyes are on Barak Send response Israel Harel: Publis also to blame for IDF and state mistakes Responses: 2 Rosner's Domain The campaign for Darfur has achieved all its goals - but one Rosner's Guest: Israelis do not know enough about Jewish Diaspora Jewish vote in Florida: 58% for Clinton (WTR) Poll: Is there a "constant virulent campaign" against Obama? Back to divestment from Israel (WTR) More Headlines 11:30 PM: Winograd report 'lifts moral stigma' from me 11:53 Peretz: Lebanon War was missed opportunity, but had to be done 11:54 Palestinian militant killed by IDF fire in southern Gaza Strip 12:08 Calls growing within Labor for Barak to quit Olmert coalition 07:46 ANALYSIS: Was Lebanon War necessary? Report doesn't say 10:03 Jewish group to build 200 new housing units in East Jerusalem 12:12 Kadima MK Yitzhaki to resign over PM's refusal to step down 07:44 Winograd: Current use of cluster bombs not in line with int'l law 10:01 IDF says was 'well aware' of flaws before Winograd Report 08:00 Israel says Libya unworthy of seat on UN Security Council 10:46 Beijing's only Kosher restuarant mulls second branch ahead of Olympics 10:44 Giuliani drops out of Republican race and backs McCain Previous Editions Select Day 30 jan 29 jan 28 jan 27 jan 25 jan 24 jan 23 jan 22 jan 21 jan 20 jan 18 jan 17 jan

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