Schlaglicht Israel Nr. 23 Aktuelles aus israelischen Tageszeitungen 31. Dezember 2007 – 14. Januar 2008 1. Baldige Veröffentlichung des Winograd – Berichts Am 30. Januar, nach dem Besuch von US-Präsident George W. Bush wird von der unabhängigen Winograd-Kommission der endgültige Bericht der Analyse der militärischen und politischen Fehler Israels bezüglich des Libanonkrieges im Sommer 2006 veröffentlicht werden. Dieser Bericht wird vor allem ein Votum über die Politiker sein. Premierminister Ehud Olmert stellte schon im Vorfeld klar, dass er nicht zurücktreten werde. Es wird weiterhin spekuliert, ob der Vorsitzende der Arbeitspartei Ehud Barak die Drohung eines Rücktritts aus der Regierungskoalition wahr machen wird. One last chance “In the narrow, immediate sense, the Second Lebanon War was a war of folly; a serious instance of a failure of leadership. The leaders of summer 2006 bear responsibility for the fact that they conducted a national event of crucial importance with criminal negligence. Almost all the leaders were forced to take responsibility for their negligence. The division commander, the head of command, the deputy chief of staff, the chief of staff, the defense minister- are gone. Only the prime minister remains. If even after the Winograd report Ehud Olmert continues to serve in his position, the concept of responsibility will be of no significance in our lives. […] But 2007 was not a year of healing; on the contrary. Neither 6 percent growth nor luxury towers along the Ayalon Highway can conceal that the situation remains unchanged. The national leadership is cynical, the central government is emasculated, the army is making an effort and training, but is still plagued by draft­dodging and mediocrity. The social gaps are unprecedented, solidarity is crumbling. […] The main responsibility for missing out on the opportunity of 2007 lies with the prime minister. […] Yes, Olmert must resign. But his resignation is not an end in itself. His resignation must signal and bring about an overall change in concepts and values. In about two weeks from now the Winograd Committee report will be published. […] In a sense, it will be the day of the last chance. It will give all of us a belated and final opportunity to internalize what we discovered during the Second Lebanon War, and to heal Israel.” Ari Shavit, HAA, 31.12.2007 Waiting for a Tsunami “Monday’s vague statement by Labor Chairman Ehud Barak regarding“the political leadership’s responsibility” for the events of the Lebanon war sent the sleepy political establishment into frenzy. A large question mark hovered above the Knesset’s corridors during the afternoon and evening hours. “What does he mean?” wondered politicians from across the political spectrum, but particularly those in the opposition. Is this a hint of what Barak will do after the publication of the Winograd Commission’s final report? Is he on his way out? Will he do the unbelievable and quit the government? For the time being, there is no clear answer for that question, although the coalition is expected to survive the report. Yet the truth is that Barak himself does not yet know what he intends do to and what will happen upon the report’s publication. […] The Labor party chairman is waiting, just like everyone else, for some kind of development, a sign from above, maybe a great tsunami that would wash Ehud Olmert away from the Prime Minister’s Office. Barak is not alone. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni is also waiting for the tsunami, and so is Benjamin Netanyahu. Everyone knows that Olmert will not be going home of his own accord. Netanyahu is counting on the media and on public opinion. He 1