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Al-Ahed Telegram

Cabinet clash: Battle of the Ehuds

Cabinet clash: Battle of the Ehuds
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Source: The Guardian, 16-01-2009

By Rory McCarthy

In what one "Israeli" newspaper described yesterday as "The battle of the Ehuds", the prime minister, Ehud Olmert, and his defense (war) minister, Ehud Barak, have been engaged in a very public difference of opinion over strategy in Gaza.

The differences emerged on the fourth day of the campaign, when it was still confined to air strikes, and Barak appeared to endorse a two-day halt to the fighting for "humanitarian" reasons. The idea was soon rejected by the rest of the hawkish cabinet.

But reports of disagreements over strategy continued. Barak, once chief of staff of "Israel's" military and the country's most decorated soldier, began to argue in private meetings, echoed in the press, that the operation had achieved all it could for "Israel" and should end. Tzipi Livni, the foreign minister, has also, it appears, argued privately for a halt to the fighting.

Both Livni and Barak may have an eye on the general election due on 10 February. They have both seen their ratings rise in opinion polls, Barak especially. Olmert, on the other hand, is resigning at this election.

The Ha'aretz newspaper has suggested that Olmert is delaying meetings with his senior ministers in order to allow the operations to continue. In an editorial yesterday, the left-leaning paper said the affair raised "doubts about the quality of the prime minister's judgment".

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