"Israel`s" Military Head Rolls over July War on Lebanon

Source: BBC, 17-1-2007
The head of "Israel`s" armed forces, Lt Gen Dan Halutz, has resigned amid inquiries into last year`s conflict with Hizbullah in southern Lebanon.
Gen Halutz said he wanted to assume his "responsibilities" after a war which has been widely criticised for failing to crush the anti-Israel `militia` (the Lebanese occupation-resistance), Hizbullah.
A military inquiry is now over, but the government`s handling of the 34-day conflict is still being investigated.
The resignation is the latest in a series of setbacks for PM Ehud Olmert.
Hours before Gen Halutz made his announcement, the justice ministry ordered a criminal investigation into Mr Olmert`s role in the privatisation of the country`s second largest bank in 2005.
The BBC`s Rachel Harvey in Jerusalem (al-Quds) says now that the military chief has fallen on his sword, the spotlight is likely to shift back to the `civilian` leadership.
Under pressure
The military leadership has been criticised for poor planning, poor strategy and poor execution during the war.
In particular, Gen Halutz is accused of relying too heavily on air power and waiting too long to send in ground troops.
When they were sent in, many soldiers complained of being poorly equipped.
"With the echoes of battle having faded, I have decided to act on my responsibility," he is quoted as saying in his resignation letter.
State radio said Mr Olmert had tried in vain to convince him to stay until the results of all the investigations were known.
Not freed
"Israel" attacked the Hizbullah after the group captured two "Israeli" soldiers, in a raid last July, to exchange for Lebanese captives in "Israeli" jails.
"Israel" failed to free the soldiers or destroy Hizbullah before a ceasefire ended the fighting in August, with Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah claiming a strategic victory over "Israel".
About 1,000 Lebanese were killed in the conflict, mostly civilians in "Israel`s" vast bombardment of the county and land invasion in the south. Lebanon`s infrastructure also suffered extensive damage.
The "Israeli" army lost 116 soldiers. Forty-three "Israeli" settlers were also killed by Hizbullah`s occupation-resistance and more than 4,000 rocket attacks.
A former air force head, Gen Halutz became chief of the armed forces in June 2005.
Several other senior army commanders have already resigned over the handling of the war.