Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee votes for state commission of inquiry
The key Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee voted 8-3 today in favor of a state commission of inquiry and against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's whitewash commissions. The Labor party voted with the right-wing opposition, as did the left wing Meretz party. Additionally, the government postponed from tomorrow to this coming Sunday a cabinet vote on the establishment of Olmert's commissions.The Jerusalem Post is reporting in the name of Army Radio that the cabinet meeting was cancelled since procedures had not yet been finalized for the establishment of the proposed commissions. But Haaretz also reports a different reason for the postponement:
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's effort to appoint a "committee of examination" to probe the government's handling of the war in Lebanon ran into new obstacles on Tuesday. The five candidates nominated to head the committee have not yet been approved by Attorney General Menachem Mazuz, and arrangements have not yet been signed on preventing a conflict of interest, therefore the committee cannot be established legally.In the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, the three MK's who voted against establishing a state commission of inquiry were Chairman Tzachi HaNegbi and the traitorous Otniel Schneller of the
The Supreme Court ordered the state on Tuesday to respond to a petition by the Movement for Quality Government in Israel, submitted Monday against the appointments of Yedidya Ye'ari and David Ivri to the panel, based on claims of conflict of interest.
As was published in Haaretz when the Admoni committee was appointed, Ye'ari's placement on the panel is problematic because he is director-general of RAFAEL Armament Development Authority, a governmental defense company.
The Defense Ministry is a RAFAEL client and the company also serves as a "national laboratory" for research and development for the defense establishment.
As was published in Yedioth Ahronoth, Ivri represents Boeing in Israel, which is a supplier to the Defense Ministry. During the war, Israel used helicopters, bombs and missiles manufactured by Boeing.
YNet presents an interesting account of the committee meeting:
The initiative to create a commission led by a judge was the result of a joint effort by Matan Vilnai (Labor) and Effie Eitam (National Union-NRP) [who are both retired generals. CiJ] and was brought up in the meeting, despite the disapprobation of committee Chairman Tzachi Hanegbi.Vilnai's statement also has internal implications for the Labor party. For those who have forgotten, you may wish to recall how
Matan Vilnai took advantage of the situation in order to appeal to already appointed members of the existing commissions not to cooperate. "I call upon you to behave like the Shahak commission and resign. You are serving as a tool for something inappropriate."
...
According to Vilnai, "this is not a political issue. Whoever will investigate the issue thoroughly will find that the trouble started from the connection between military and politics, and you know what I'm talking about."
Vilnai spoke with Ynet and claimed that the chairman of his party, Amir Peretz, was chosen for the role of defense minister as a result of political calculations, and that it was clear from the start that he was not the correct candidate for the job.
"Nothing will help the government. This will end in a state commission. The vote took place at my behest and the behest of MK Eitam, who come from opposite sides of the political spectrum," he concluded.
Eitam stated that the decision is "the first rational, ethical public statement" and said that the government cannot ignore the lack of confidence expressed by the MKs regarding its chosen investigative process. "I hope and I'm sure that the government will return to the high road."
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 6:13 PM
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