The government of Ehud Olmert did absolutely nothing to implement the recommendations of the Winograd Commission which investigated the government and army’s performance in the Second Lebanon War.

According to retired justice Dr. Eliyahu Winograd, who headed the commission, Olmert’s administration did nothing. He made his remarks during a ceremony in which he was given an honorary degree from the Netanya Academic College.

His remarks were the first since the report was published, expressing harsh criticism against Olmert’s government, which he said did noting to actualize the findings of the post-war commission. He added that he even turned to the former cabinet secretary, asking why nothing was done despite the cabinet accepting the commission’s report and even going as far as to establishing a ministerial committee to oversee the process.

He told the audience that he was told the government did not have time, it was dealing with more pressing matters. Winograd stated the issues at hand are issues of life and death and he rejected statements that implementation of the recommendations of the commission are not an urgent top priority matter.

“These issues may return in the next war. Unfortunately, the words remained words, nothing more.”

Dr. Winograd used the forum to turn to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to make certain his administration implements the recommendations of the commission.
He added that regarding the IDF, the situation is quite the contrary, stating the military has implemented almost every recommendation and the change was quite evident in Operation Cast Lead.

Olmert’s office released a long-worded message that basically states the government did indeed implement the recommendations of the commission as required.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)