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Prof. Yehezkel Dror. (Tomer Appelbaum) Last update - 12:33 06/02/2008 Winograd panel member hints PM shouldn't quit despite damning report By Yuval Yoaz, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Israel, media  Prof. Yehezkel Dror, a member of the Winograd war probe committee, hinted in an interview on Wednesday that he felt that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert should remain in office despite the committee's damning report on the government's conduct during the Second Lebanon War. The Winograd report, released last Wednesday, attributed "grave faults" to the government and the military in the decision making process during the war. However, Dror told Ma'ariv, "if we think that the prime minister will advance the peace process [with the Palestinians], it is a serious consideration. The peace process, if successful, will save so many lives as to give it considerable weight. It is not right to look only at one side [of the issues]." Since the release of the report, many have called upon the prime minister to take responsibility for the mistakes his government made during the war and resign. When asked whether he felt Olmert should step down, Dror said "we must think of the consequences. What do you prefer? A government led by Olmert and [Defense Minister Ehud] Barak or new elections that will give rise to a government led by [opposition leader and Likud Chairman Benjamin] Netanyahu." Advertisement Dror's comments sparked a storm within the political establishment. State Control Committee Chairman Zevulun Orlev (National Religious Party-National Union) has announced that he will convene the committee for an urgent meeting, where Professor Dror will have an opportunity to explain his comments. According to Orlev, Dror's remarks raise serious suspicions regarding bias in the composition of the war probe report and possibly government corruption. Former foreign minister Silvan Shalom said Wednesday "after we've been disappointed by the politicians and some of the media, we didn't imagine that the Winograd Commission had done the same thing." Shalom added that "if such a senior [war probe] panel member says that the considerations that guided him were who would bring peace, and whether something will bring about early elections and Likud will rise to power - this is a grave issue that requires a serious examination of a possible state commission of inquiry [into the government's conduct during the war.]" MK Shelly Yachimovitch said that that there was no other choice but to appoint a state commission, now that it has become clear that at least one member of the government-appointed panel operated out of political motives. "During the course of the committee's inquiry and its discussions, political considerations such as who is qualified to lead Israel at this time were never raised. We don't even know the personal political positions of the committee members on this issue," read an official statement issued by the Winograd Commission in response to Dror's remarks. "We regret that personal opinions, interpreted as political views, quoted by panel members, are seen as something that influences the entire committee's body of work," the statement said. The statement added that "In our view, the panel members don't have any advantage in interpreting the content of the report, its conclusions or recommendations, over anyone else who read it or commented on it. As far as the function of the report, we believe it speaks for itself." Therefore, the statement stressed that "interpretations of the contents of the report ? even if they originate from committee members ? are the sole responsibility of those who made them." However, it also said that "Our consensus was not harmed by this dispute because the committee itself stands only behind the content of the report and everything said in it." Sources close to Dror told Haaretz Wednesday that the remarks the Winograd panelist had made during the interview reflected fundamental questions and not political opinions. They further said that Dror did not take any political factors into consideration while preparing the war report, and the issue of a political outcome as a result of the report was not taken into consideration by the committee. On Tuesday, Dror spoke at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, and charged that there had been "numerous distortions" in the way the media presented the Winograd report. "The issues that the media chose to focus on after the final report was published last week do not serve the need to improve Israel's ability to cope with the serious diplomatic and security challenges it faces and will face. Anyone who wants to understand Israel's problems must read the full report, especially because of the numerous distortions in its presentation by the media," Dror said. Dror also warned that "Israel's future depends to a great extent on the nature of its government, and the present situation is far from meeting the minimum [standard] required." He therefore advocated changing the system of government to a "quasi-presidential" one, saying such a system would be better suited to "making decisions on critical but deeply controversial political issues." In addition, he said, it is vital to "change the political culture and the quality of people engaged in politics." Barak Ravid adds: Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Tuesday that the report "paints a grim picture," but noted that it praised her own ministry for the staff work that led to UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the war. The remarks were made in a memo to ministry employees. Related articles: Winograd: Final ground op 'did not achieve military goals', but approving it was essential step Kadima rallies around Olmert, urges Barak to stay in gov't The main findings of the Winograd partial report on the Second Lebanon War, April 2007 Bookmark to del.icio.us   Get a job The Interior Minister tells the ultra-Orthodox to find work and enlist in the IDF. Trapped in Gaza An Irish woman and her daughter are stuck in Gaza after Egypt seals the border.   1.   Current proposals like the Road Map are totally unworkable and sh 08:09  |  Harold Lane 06/02/08   2.   Current proposals like the Road Map are totally unworkable and sh 08:10  |  Harold Lane 06/02/08   3.   well there you have it 09:45  |  sam 06/02/08   4.   What "peace process" ? 09:53  |  Rick and TC 06/02/08   5.   Yehezkel Dror 09:56  |  RobertK 06/02/08   6.   In days of old, prophets rose in Israel 09:59  |  Sidney 06/02/08   7.   Arrogant Israeli "Democracy" 10:11  |  Arthur Well 06/02/08   8.   amazing chutzpa 10:12  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 06/02/08   9.   Between the devil and the deep blue sea 10:18  |  sh 06/02/08   10.   Who is representing the people of Sderot 10:19  |  Meir 06/02/08   11.   more waste paper to add to 90 years of the product 10:26  |  v hardman 06/02/08   12.   Winograd Mikveh (Ritual Bath) 10:35  |  Raoul Isaac 06/02/08   13.   THE DEFENDANT(OLMERT) HIRES THE PANEL?!?!?! 11:05  |  OLMERT=CRIMINAL 06/02/08   14.   THE "PEACE" PROCESS HAS BEEN DEAD FOR YEARS!!!!! 11:08  |  amy 06/02/08   15.   If not a democracy than a tyranny 11:25  |  Ilan 06/02/08   16.   Olmert Will Play Peace Card to Survive, But... 12:09  |  MB 06/02/08   17.   Murderer escapes prison by philanthropy 12:18  |  This is nonsense 06/02/08   18.   Have it on your conscience 12:20  |  Yabba 06/02/08   19.   SUE Him, After all it is our money that was wasted for his Report 12:57  |  Gil 06/02/08   20.   SUE Him, After all it is our money that was wasted for his Report 12:58  |  Gil 06/02/08   21.   Mr. Dror: Netanyahu was Last PM to Reach Signed Agreements with P 13:12  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 06/02/08   22.   Like a whipped dog... 13:24  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 06/02/08   23.   israel=banana republic=left=kadima 13:27  |  jonny on the pony 06/02/08   24.   #6 Sidney - the prophets of today 13:45  |  Yonatan 06/02/08   25.   Everyone is entitled to his opinions 13:46  |  Yonatan 06/02/08   26.   #7 Arthur Well - Now tell me about 13:48  |  Yonatan 06/02/08   27.   #9 sh - I agree 13:50  |  Yonatan 06/02/08   28.   Nothing can save the peace process 13:57  |  Yonatan 06/02/08   29.   Another "proof" 14:01  |  Buzaglow 06/02/08   30.   Why is it surprising? 14:31  |  bytheway 06/02/08   31.   He was charged to investigate the past not predict the future 14:32  |  Meir 06/02/08   32.   "Peace" probe commission needed 14:34  |  Frank 06/02/08   33.   Coruption Inside and Outside Winograd 15:00  |  Mitch 06/02/08   34.   Ehud Olmert is essential in war on terror 15:05  |  Mawloud Ould Daddah 06/02/08   35.   When "Mayor" Olmert" Acts Like Prime Minister Olmert... 15:20  |  Stash 06/02/08   36.   Didn`t Olmert pick Winnograd ???- Corruption from top to bottom 15:28  |  Harry 06/02/08   37.   Dror, Winograd & a corruption. 15:31  |  curious 06/02/08   38.   State Commission & Investigation NOW 15:35  |  Gideon Reader 06/02/08   39.   Scandalous. This story says it all. 15:42  |  bat yam 06/02/08   40.   Israel being carried to its grave by pall bearers of Winograd! 15:47  |  common sense 06/02/08   41.   "Give someone else a chance?" OK, but who? 15:52  |  Outsider 06/02/08   42.   It`s absurd to talk about peace in current circumstances. 15:53  |  Fortuna Benmayor 06/02/08   43.   Olmert advances peace of the graveyard 15:55  |  Jonathan S 06/02/08   44.   Israel run by the Vino-Mafia and Olmert is Godfather 16:18  |  Ferragamo 06/02/08   45.   Outsider the way to prevent war is to prepare for war 16:31  |  Ferragamo 06/02/08   46.   #41: Bibi Netanyahu 17:44  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 06/02/08   47.   Prof. Yehezkel Dror Doesn`t Know What He`s Talking About 17:46  |  Dish It Out 06/02/08   48.   corruption 18:03  |  David E. 06/02/08   49.   Arrogance/Stupidity of the Israeli "Elite" 18:05  |  Tod Zuckerman 06/02/08   50.   The Bolshevik terrorist Vinograd panel members are a disgrace. 18:05  |  Joseph 06/02/08   51.   More unanswered questions to Winograd Committee. 18:22  |  H.H.M 06/02/08   52.   Yehzkel Dror 18:53  |  David Gershon 06/02/08   53.   Yehzkel Dror 18:53  |  David Gershon 06/02/08   54.   Just the opposite happens from the Phony peace process 19:19  |  Paul 06/02/08   55.   Professor Dror 20:16  |  Dror 06/02/08   56.   Irresponsible grandstanding and muddied thought process 21:01  |  Michael N 06/02/08   57.   Winograd panel member 21:17  |  Brod 06/02/08   58.   How come we do not read this in Haaretz? 21:25  |  bat yam 06/02/08   59.   Olmert hurt Israel more than the entire Arab World 22:46  |  Sunny Barkats 06/02/08   60.   Israel elite r GLOBALIST FINATICS!!!!!!! 23:00  |  Terry 06/02/08   61.   Risk being run-out-of-town...... 23:26  |  Esther 06/02/08   62.   Olmert Must Be Kicked Out, His Succesor Must Not Advance Road Map 00:24  |  Joseph . E 07/02/08   63.   Senile old fool 00:25  |  Dror 07/02/08

Today Online Gov't task force mulls international presence in Gaza Strip Responses: 172 Two children lightly hurt in Qassam strike on Negev kibbutz Responses: 151 Arab lecturer told to respect students' right to wear IDF uniform Responses: 224 Egypt warns Hamas against provocations on Gaza border Responses: 70 Ukraine college rector: 'No such thing as anti-Semitism' Responses: 115 Rosner's Domain The Jewish vote: Obama carried Massachusetts, Connecticut From Super Bowl drama to Super Tuesday drama True or false: Obama is pro-Palestinian, McCain will appoint James Baker Iraq, remember? (WTR)