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Funeral of a soldier killed in the Second Lebanon War.
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| By Ynetnews January 2, 2007 |
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Defense Minister Amir Peretz stated Sunday that he would relinquish his position if the Winograd Committee should find him responsible for the war's failures.
On the day following his statement, bereaved families who found it hard to find peace of mind demanded that senior officials not wait for the conclusions to be published in over a month, but quit effective immediately.
Moshe Muskal, bereaved father of Sergeant Rafanel Muskal who was killed while serving in the Lebanon war, told Ynet that according to those who were supposed to be leaders, there wasn't even a war.
"Bereaved parents should write the Winograd report. When Halutz was at my house, he began naming the goals of the war, but got stuck on the third goal and asked the officer who accompanied him what the fourth and fifth goals were. That is the country's leadership," Muskal said.
'War of denial'
Muskal's son was meant to enlist to the IDF in two months, and the family supported his decision to join the combat unit. "Our country is more important to us than two politicians saving their positions. The leaders, as David Grossman said, are hollow," the bereaved father said.
"This people deserves different leadership. This war should be given a name, the 'War of denial'," Muskal said. He also threatened to intensify the protest if senior ranks did not take responsibility.
Chaim Tzemach, bereaved father of Sergeant Oz Tzemach said that he lived with the feeling that he was fighting for the children he had left.
"They are all guilty, each in their field. The IDF chief of staff didn't run the war right. He didn't know what was happening with the forces, what was happening on the field. The prime minister and defense minister are guilty of not achieving any of the goals they set out to," he said.
'I will take my sons body out of his grave'
Tzemach claimed that up to this day, investigations have not lead to serious action to mend the situation.
"Five months after the war ended, nothing was done and the situation in the IDF is very difficult. It's hard for me to say, but I would take my son's body out of his grave on Mount Herzl and transfer him to another country so that I would have no reason to come back here," Tzemach said.
Ariela Goldman Meir, bereaved mother of Sergeant Major Noam Goldman, claimed that the IDF chief of Staff misled the political echelon and led the war to start so quickly.
"The fault of the politicians is that they fell for it. As politicians they should have been smart enough to check and get it. The question is, is anyone willing to say 'I was wrong?' No one says they were wrong, not a politician and not a military man. Admitting wrong is not for dismissal, this culture is not right, because in the next war no one will dare to be brave and insist," Goldman concluded.
Reprinted with permission from Ynet. |
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