Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak became embroiled in a public row Wednesday over how the "Cast Lead" Gaza operation should proceed.
Ha'aretz reported Wednesday morning that Barak was working towards declaring a one-week long "humanitarian ceasefire" in Gaza. Olmert's bureau responded with scalding criticism, calling Barak's statement an act of "national irresponsibility."
While the angry response to Barak's statement appeared on all of the leading news websites later in the day and was attributed by most of them to "a very senior diplomatic source in Jerusalem" and to "diplomatic sources near the Prime Minister," Haaretz's headline attributed the response to the Prime Minister himself.
"The talk by ministers in the media about ceasefire initiatives is very grave," the "senior diplomatic sources" said. "Hamas sees the sights and hears the sounds, and these things constitute a morale booster for Hamas and its leaders."
"Matters like this, which have immediate consequences for the lives of a million residents of the South and thousands of soldiers in Gaza, are properly discussed behind closed doors," they added. "Private initiatives which have not yet been discussed, amended and approved should not be published in newspaper headlines."
The same sources said that the way to achieve optimal results from Cast Lead is to maintain the public ambiguity which has characterized Israel's government position until now.
In reaction to the report, Minister Rafi Eitan (Pensioners) threatened to quit the government.
Barak responds
Asked for Barak's response to Olmert's criticism, the Defense Minister's confidantes said Wednesday afternoon that “out of considerations of the responsibility required during wartime, Minister Barak will not be lured into making unworthy and baseless declarations.”
Ha'aretz also reported that in the most recent discussions held by the defense establishment and the General Staff, most speakers were in favor of declaring a ceasefire before Barack Obama is sworn in as U.S. President on January 20. According to this report, the IDF Southern Command and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) favor widening the ground advance and exerting growing pressure on Hamas.
Former IDF Chief of Staff Moshe "Bogey" Ya'alon voiced criticism of the sparring between Barak and Olmert and said "I hope the soldiers in the field of battle don't read the newspapers."