Prime Minister’s Office chief of staff Yoram Turbowicz told the Winograd Committee that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was told that the homefront was prepared for the Second Lebanon War, according to testimony released on Thursday.  Turbowicz said it was clear that Israeli cities would be hit by Hizbullah missiles during the war, but that senior IDF staff told Olmert that the dangers to the homefront would be dealt with.  IDF officers said the army was capable of fighting in both Gaza and Lebanon, he said.

Winograd Committee member Professor Yechezkel Dror asked Turbowicz why Olmert was not aware of problems facing the IDF reserves given Olmert’s activities during his time filling in for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.  Turbowicz said he could not testify to Olmert’s previous knowledge, as he had begun work at the Prime Minister’s Office in May of 2006.