Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TELAVIV694
2007-03-02 14:59:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:
STATE COMPTROLLER'S REPORT ON DEFENSE OF THE HOME
how-toVZCZCXYZ0001 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHTV #0694 0611459 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 021459Z MAR 07 FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9778 INFO RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 6129
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 000694
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/20/2017
TAGS: PGOV IS
SUBJECT: STATE COMPTROLLER'S REPORT ON DEFENSE OF THE HOME
FRONT MAY BLAME OLMERT, PERETZ FOR NEGLIGENCE
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Gene A. Cretz, Reason 1.4 (b) (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 000694
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/20/2017
TAGS: PGOV IS
SUBJECT: STATE COMPTROLLER'S REPORT ON DEFENSE OF THE HOME
FRONT MAY BLAME OLMERT, PERETZ FOR NEGLIGENCE
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Gene A. Cretz, Reason 1.4 (b) (d)
1. (C) Well-connected former Mossad officer and current
think tank director Uzi Arad told PolCouns and visiting S/P
deputy director Matt Waxman March 1 that the State
Comptroller's report on the GOI's protection of the Home
Front during last summer's war with Hizballah is scheduled
for release March 6. Arad said he had read an advance copy
of the report; the State Comptroller concludes that Prime
Minister Olmert and Defense Minister Peretz were guilty of
gross negligence in their failure to protect the civilian
population of northern Israel during the war. Arad claimed
that the report's language is strong enough to cause serious
political damage to both Olmert and Peretz in advance of the
release of the widely-anticipated interim report of the
Winograd Committee on the Lebanon War, which many Israeli
contacts say could be released around March 15.
2. (C) Comment: Arad used to be in Olmert's circle of
friends, but like prominent journalist Dan Margalit, Arad has
turned into a harsh critic of Olmert's performance as prime
minister. Arad may have exaggerated the seriousness of the
State Comptroller's report, but he is well-connected and a
serious behind-the-scenes player.
********************************************* ********************
Visit EMBASSY Tel Aviv's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv
You can also access this site through the State Department's
Classified SIPRNET website.
********************************************* ********************
CRETZ
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/20/2017
TAGS: PGOV IS
SUBJECT: STATE COMPTROLLER'S REPORT ON DEFENSE OF THE HOME
FRONT MAY BLAME OLMERT, PERETZ FOR NEGLIGENCE
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Gene A. Cretz, Reason 1.4 (b) (d)
1. (C) Well-connected former Mossad officer and current
think tank director Uzi Arad told PolCouns and visiting S/P
deputy director Matt Waxman March 1 that the State
Comptroller's report on the GOI's protection of the Home
Front during last summer's war with Hizballah is scheduled
for release March 6. Arad said he had read an advance copy
of the report; the State Comptroller concludes that Prime
Minister Olmert and Defense Minister Peretz were guilty of
gross negligence in their failure to protect the civilian
population of northern Israel during the war. Arad claimed
that the report's language is strong enough to cause serious
political damage to both Olmert and Peretz in advance of the
release of the widely-anticipated interim report of the
Winograd Committee on the Lebanon War, which many Israeli
contacts say could be released around March 15.
2. (C) Comment: Arad used to be in Olmert's circle of
friends, but like prominent journalist Dan Margalit, Arad has
turned into a harsh critic of Olmert's performance as prime
minister. Arad may have exaggerated the seriousness of the
State Comptroller's report, but he is well-connected and a
serious behind-the-scenes player.
********************************************* ********************
Visit EMBASSY Tel Aviv's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv
You can also access this site through the State Department's
Classified SIPRNET website.
********************************************* ********************
CRETZ