Mofaz, who served as defense minister in the previous Sharon administration, has joined the growing support for the establishment of an independent state commission of inquiry into the month-long war which began on July 12. Labor Party ministers, including Defense Minister Amir Peretz, have already stated their position in support of a state commission of inquiry. Some of them of stated that public calls for an independent investigation into the war are too strong to be ignored.
Tens of thousands of reserve soldiers were called up on emergency orders to fight Hizbullah and the PA. Many of them are outraged at what they saw to be indecisiveness emanating from the government echelons, including orders that they say left them stranded and endangered in the field. In addition, the 4,000 enemy Katyusha rockets that pounded deep into Israel's home front continually, up to the last day of the war, led to a loss of faith amidst wide sectors of the public in the ability of the government and army to protect its citizens.
A grassroots movement of reserve soldiers calling for a state commission of inquiry has amassed around a protest tent and hunger strike in Rose Garden, across from the Knesset.
Meanwhile, Olmert announced on Sunday that he is now willing to appoint a retired justice to head his government-appointed commission, but he refuses to comply with calls for a state commission, an independent body that would have authority to call for the dismissal of senior ministers.
Mofaz stated Sunday evening that a full state commission of inquiry is what is needed to "restore the faith of the public in the governing bodies – there is no other way." The former defense minister added, "All attempts at establishing investigative committees [with less power] never succeeded. It is impossible to wait any longer, and there is no reason to. A state commission of inquiry must be established now."
Top aides to the prime minister have already released warning messages to the media, cautioning Mofaz that an independent inquiry would target him more than the prime minister. The aides reason that it was previous Israeli governments that permitted Hizbullah to amass arms while Israel stood by and took no initiative to destroy the terrorist infrastructure. They were referring to the six years from Israel's capitulation to Hizbullah in Lebanon in May 2000, until the recent war in July 2006, during which time Ehud Barak and Ariel Sharon served as prime ministers. Mofaz served as IDF Chief of Staff and Defense Minister during this period.
Speaking to Army Radio early Monday morning, Interior Minister Roni Bar-On, a close confidant of Prime Minister Olmert, called upon Mofaz and other members of the cabinet to support the prime minister’s decision to suffice with a less empowered government-appointed inquiry headed by a retired justice. Bar-On rejected claims that only a state-appointed body can properly probe the actions of the government and the military during the war.
Tens of thousands of reserve soldiers were called up on emergency orders to fight Hizbullah and the PA. Many of them are outraged at what they saw to be indecisiveness emanating from the government echelons, including orders that they say left them stranded and endangered in the field. In addition, the 4,000 enemy Katyusha rockets that pounded deep into Israel's home front continually, up to the last day of the war, led to a loss of faith amidst wide sectors of the public in the ability of the government and army to protect its citizens.
A grassroots movement of reserve soldiers calling for a state commission of inquiry has amassed around a protest tent and hunger strike in Rose Garden, across from the Knesset.
Signs from reserve officers protest tent which read: "Enough!" and "Olmert - You Are No Longer Able"
Meanwhile, Olmert announced on Sunday that he is now willing to appoint a retired justice to head his government-appointed commission, but he refuses to comply with calls for a state commission, an independent body that would have authority to call for the dismissal of senior ministers.
Mofaz stated Sunday evening that a full state commission of inquiry is what is needed to "restore the faith of the public in the governing bodies – there is no other way." The former defense minister added, "All attempts at establishing investigative committees [with less power] never succeeded. It is impossible to wait any longer, and there is no reason to. A state commission of inquiry must be established now."
Top aides to the prime minister have already released warning messages to the media, cautioning Mofaz that an independent inquiry would target him more than the prime minister. The aides reason that it was previous Israeli governments that permitted Hizbullah to amass arms while Israel stood by and took no initiative to destroy the terrorist infrastructure. They were referring to the six years from Israel's capitulation to Hizbullah in Lebanon in May 2000, until the recent war in July 2006, during which time Ehud Barak and Ariel Sharon served as prime ministers. Mofaz served as IDF Chief of Staff and Defense Minister during this period.
Speaking to Army Radio early Monday morning, Interior Minister Roni Bar-On, a close confidant of Prime Minister Olmert, called upon Mofaz and other members of the cabinet to support the prime minister’s decision to suffice with a less empowered government-appointed inquiry headed by a retired justice. Bar-On rejected claims that only a state-appointed body can properly probe the actions of the government and the military during the war.