By Joe Macaron
NNN-KUNA
Washington : A US official has acknowledged that there is a crisis in the Israeli leadership in the wake of a political storm following the release of a report sharply criticizing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s handling of the war on Lebanon.
The State Department official told KUNA that Israel is a “tricky and sophisticated functioning democracy,” expressing doubts that the Israeli government could function with a “leadership deficit.”
A panel led by Judge Eliahu Winograd to investigate last summer’s Israeli war against the Lebanese Hezbollah condemned in its conclusion that was made public Monday the Israeli conduct in the war, describing it as “a serious failure in exercising judgment, responsibility and prudence”.
The US official, who asked not to be identified, described the report as “a healthy” process in addressing how Israel played out in a regional conflict “with great consequences”, pointing out to how Iran and Syria, through Hezbollah, were able “to disrupt things terribly” in the region during the war.
“It will be very hard for Olmert to survive this report,” said David Makovsky, a senior fellow and director of the Project on the Middle East Process in the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
The 250-page report said that “the decision to respond with an immediate, intensive military strike was not based on a detailed, comprehensive and authorised military plan, based on careful study of the complex characteristics of the Lebanon arena”.
“This report brought up the question whether Olmert can lead Israel in the next conflict,” added Makovsky. “There is no way to move forward with no leader in Israel”.
Makovsky argued that this month will be decisive for the future of Olmert, in particular May 28 when the Labour Party will elect a new leader to replace Defence Minister Amir Peretz.
Israeli cabinet minister without portfolio Eitan Cabel, a Labour Party member, resigned after the release of the report, signalling a minor crack in the coalition government.
Makovsky said there are three possible scenarios, either Kadima, the newly-formed centre party, will have to choose a new leader instead of Olmert or the Labour Party will defect from the government after its internal elections or a new election will take place.
He ruled out any pressure from Washington for Olmert to step down, saying “it will be up for the dynamic inside Israel and Kadima”.
Makovsky said that the coming period will decide if “this new experiment of a centre party can sustain itself in Israel or there is a return to the polarisation of the past”.
On whether the finding of the report could have positive or negative impact on the Israeli-Palestinian peace track, the State Department official said this report, despite the negative conclusion, could “help bolster the defence of Israel” as well as helping the peace process to move forward.
He added that Palestinians should show good signs in brokering the prisoner exchange deal with the Israelis, and the Israelis should alleviate the suffering of the Palestinians as well.
Makovsy said that the role of the Arab League is crucial in this period to provide “a political coverage for the Israeli and Palestinians to move forward in the peace process”.
The War panel explicitly said that “the primary responsibility for these serious failings rests with the prime minister, the minister of defence and the (outgoing) Chief of Staff”.