After Winograd, Are Olmert’s Troubles Over, or Just Begun?

.

Commentary;

Ehud Olmert spoke last evening before Knesset giving a speech which even Ehud Barak called “cynical and troubling.”

Olmert just squeeked by as less than a majority of 120 Knesset members as Jerusalem Post’s Sheera Claire Frenkel writes;

The Knesset narrowly approved the prime minister’s speech on the Winograd Report, by 59 to 53, with six coalition MKs – Labor’s Ophir Paz-Pines, Shelly Yacimovich, Eitan Cabel and Danny Yatom, and Kadima’s Avigdor Yitzhaki and Marina Solodkin voting with the opposition. The vote was purely symbolic. read more

Uncategorized

Ehud Barak Breaks Promise to Leave After Winograd

.

Olmert ‘Happy’ Barak Did Not Quit Government, by Gil Hoffman (Jerusalem Post)

Excerpts;

“There is a lot of work to be done, and I am happy we will do it together,” Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said in response to Defense Minister Ehud Barak’s announcement, Sunday afternoon.

Earlier, Labor chairman Barak said the party will remain in Olmert’s government despite the conclusions of the Winograd report.

“I’m going to continue to function as the defense minister because I see the challenges ahead of us – Gaza, Hizbullah, Iran, Syria, as well as the improvement of the army and the political echelon,” Barak said during a press conference before the weekly cabinet meeting. read more

Uncategorized

Winograd Mandate: “Complete Overhaul of Governing of Israel”

.
Commentary;

In this author’s opinion, David Horovitz’s piece on Winograd is undoubtedly the most succinct, to the point journalistic commentary to come out of Israel’s msm in recent memory. And it mirrors a point which this blog tried to hammer home; the dire need to deconstruct Israel’s governance, institutions and bureaucracy.

The same old, tired names, faces and modus operendi need to go, need to be forcibly retired from Israel’s governance and their spheres of influence severed; Olmert, Peretz, Peres, Barak, Ramon, Sheetrit, etc., and yes, Bibi, Sylvan Shalom, Eli Yishai and his Shas party hacks too! read more

The Spin Spectrum on the Winograd Report

.

Commentary;

As usual, the grossly slanted Israeli msm puts a pro-Olmert, pro-regime spin on the Winograd Report by virtue of its headline. But the report itself may not be such an easy spin for regime surrenderists. The key lies in the public’s reaction and whether the Jewish public finally gets its’ collective back up! MB

Olmert Aide: PM to Lead Recovery

Full Text;

The publication of the Winograd Committee’s final report into the performance of the government and the army during the Second Lebanon War set off a political storm on Wednesday, with pundits from across the political spectrum offering an opinion. read more

Uncategorized

Final Winograd Report to be Delivered to Snow-Covered Jerusalem

.
Commentary;

Wednesday, 30 January, 2008, the long-awaited day of the release of the Final Winograd Report, has arrived.

The report is slated to be delivered to Prime Minister Olmert in a snow-covered Jerusalem at 5 PM with a public news conference to be held at Jerusalem’s International Convention Center (Binyanei Ha’ooma), at 6 PM.

Here are some must read reports from Caroline Glick and Dr. Aaron Lerner which will provide perspective on today’s events. MB

Grimacing to Victory and Grinning to Defeat, by Caroline Glick (Jerusalem Post) read more

Uncategorized

Friday War News, News Headlines: Kassam Blitz Ongoing and Continuous, Winograd: Not Harsh to Olmert [What Else New?], Jew Killed in Drive-By Near Modi’in, Train Bombing Foiled, Fatah Terrorist Off’ed

.

8 Kassam Rockets Fired at Israel

Excerpt;
“One lands near Sderot kindergarten, hits water pipe; one lands in Ashkelon’s industrial area, a third near Zikim.”

Related reports;

Barak Orders Lockdown of Gaza, Hamas

Have the IDF, Government Learned, Integrated Lebanon’s Lessons?

Make Gazans Choose, by Gilad Sharon (Ynet)

Excerpts;
“As usual with this government and the person who heads it, it chose to do a little of this and a little of that: Partial humanitarian pressure…, and limited military activity…. But as we know, a little of this and a little of that is not enough of both.” read more

Uncategorized

Do State Comptroller’s Report, Winograd Final Spell New Elections?

Commentary;

It appears that Olmert’s end as prime minister may be coming close. Will the State Comptroller’s report oust him or will the final hammer blow come from the Winograd Committee final report? Or will Olmert either pull off a desperate “agreement” with Abbas or, maybe with
Assad which will solidify his power while seperating us from more Jewish land, causing expusion of more Jews and putting us all in dire peril? Or will Der Shlickster pull off another maneuver testifying to his total contempt for the rule of law and justice? MB read more

Uncategorized

Faud’s Testimony: Proof Olmert’s Winograd Pledge A Contradiction

Fuad’s Stark Testimony (Opinion: Jerusalem Post)

Related report: Dichter to ‘Post’: Kadima Must Be Ready to Replace Olmert

“The ministers, evidently, were still caught up in the trauma of the IDF’s prolonged stay in south Lebanon’s security zone… Returning to the same areas would, at the very least, have constituted an admission of error and necessitated overcoming high psychological hurdles – both moves that the politicians involved feared taking upon themselves.” read more

Uncategorized

The Two Major Causes of the Lebanon War Which Winograd Failed to Take Note of

What Winograd Missed, by Yehuda Poch (Israel National News)

Related Commentaries:

The ‘Then Maybe They Will’ Doctrine, by Prof. Steven Plaut
(Israel National News)

Column One: Statecraft in the Absence of Statesmen, by Caroline Glick (Jerusalem Post)

Commentary (MB)

Yehuda Poch writes about former IDF Chief of Staff Amnon Lipkin Shahak’s recent radio interview. The interview came down to one crucial statement;

Shahak: If rocket attacks extend to include Ashkelon, then there might be no choice but to occupy Gaza. read more

Uncategorized

What Other Dark Secrets Did Olmert Withhold From HIS Winograd Committee?

Unofficial Team [Including Pollster] Advised PM on Final Operation of Lebanon War, by Aluf Benn (Haaretz) via (IMRA)

Full Text;

Hours before deciding to launch a major ground operation in Lebanon last August 11, shortly before the end of the Second Lebanon War, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert consulted four people who hold no official government position.

In a meeting at his house, the four advised him to launch the operation in an effort to influence the United Nations Security Council’s emerging cease-fire resolution, but to halt it immediately should a resolution favorable to Israel be adopted. read more

Uncategorized