President Reuven Rivlin reacted to the State Comptroller's report on Operation Protective Edge and called to learn the lessons, to implement what needs implementing, and to strengthen the army.
"I stood by and continue to stand by the IDF in the closest way possible for me," said the President. "I was a member of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee for many years and a member in the government. I saw the army as it prepared for war on all fronts according to the task set for it by the political leadership. Always in the most professional manner, always with dedication to the people and to the country."
Rivlin stressed "The shortcomings that existed and were proved require correction. It is no time to exchange recriminations. This is the time to learn the lessons, to implement what needs implementing, and strengthen the IDF to continue to be our bulwark."
The President also said, "The obvious should be stated: The State Comptroller is responsible to the Knesset and to the public for accountability processes that we are all committed to, and learning the lessons that are so significant for the State of Israel. We must learn from these reports rather than deny them, out of our supreme obligation to act for the sake of the citizens of Israel. We are all wiser after the fact and we would do well to invest our energy in learning the lessons and implementing them."
Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked (Jewish Home) said that "the comptroller's report states that [Education Minister Naftali] Bennett demonstrated leadership on security, presented the tunnel threat to the Cabinet in detail, demanded that they be dealt with, and thus prevented strategic terrorism against Israel."
Chairman of the Yesh Atid party, Yair Lapid attacked Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. "The report explicitly states that the State of Israel under the leadership of Binyamin Netanyahu did not come prepared for Protective Edge. It proves without question that the Prime Minister knew about the strategic tunnel threat, did not order the IDF to prepare an operational plan, did not update the Cabinet, and did not tell the truth to the public," said Lapid.
He said, "If the Prime Minister really wants to stand by the IDF, he must act like the IDF does - to investigate the failures honestly and courageously in order to arrive better prepared for the next campaign. What the Prime Minister and his ministers need to do tomorrow morning is not to try to deflect responsibility, but to draw the lessons from the report. We owe it to the bereaved families, to the Gaza area residents, and to IDF soldiers."