The Israel-Hezbollah War and the Winograd Committee

Journal of Parliamentary and Political Law, Vol. II, No. 1, pp. 113-130, 2008

19 Pages Posted: 14 Dec 2008 Last revised: 9 Jul 2012

See all articles by Raphael Cohen-Almagor

Raphael Cohen-Almagor

Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies; Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; Middle East Study Centre; University of Hull

Sharon Haleva-Amir

Bar Ilan University, School of Communication

Date Written: December 1, 2008

Abstract

On July 12, 2006, the Hezbollah terrorist organization attacked two Israeli Defense Forces' armored Hummer jeeps patrolling along the border with gunfire and explosives, in the midst of massive shelling attacks on Israel's north. Three soldiers were killed in the attack and two were taken hostage. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) began heavy artillery and tank fire. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert convened the government on Wednesday night, June 12, 2006 to decide Israel's reaction. The government agreed that the attack had created a completely new situation on the northern border, and that Israel must take steps that will "exact a price", and restore its deterrence. The Israeli-Hezbollah War had started after one rushed and short governmental meeting, without realizing the full implications of the decision. The war ended on August 14, 2006 when the UN Security Council Resolution (no. 1701) entered into force. During the war, voices of protest were heard in Israel, mainly from reserve service soldiers, journalists, and distinguished writers. After the war, thousands of people have criticized the government decisions, demanded the establishment of a national inquiry committee to investigate the war events and, called for the resignation of the war architects: Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Minister of Defence Amir Peretz, and Chief of Staff Dan Halutz.

This article criticizes the establishment of the committee and the results it reached, arguing that it was a "sold game": The person under investigation should never be allowed to nominate his judges. This is mockery of justice, and travesty of social responsibility.

Keywords: Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, Ehud Olmert, Israeli Defence Forces, Amir Peretz, Dan Halutz

JEL Classification: 700

Suggested Citation

Cohen-Almagor, Raphael and Cohen-Almagor, Raphael and Haleva-Amir, Sharon, The Israel-Hezbollah War and the Winograd Committee (December 1, 2008). Journal of Parliamentary and Political Law, Vol. II, No. 1, pp. 113-130, 2008, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1315665

Raphael Cohen-Almagor (Contact Author)

Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies ( email )

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HOME PAGE: http://https://www.cmes.lu.se/raphael-cohen-almagor

Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars ( email )

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Middle East Study Centre ( email )

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HOME PAGE: http://hcc.haifa.ac.il/~rca

University of Hull ( email )

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HOME PAGE: http://https://www.hull.ac.uk/faculties/staff-profiles/raphael-cohen-almagor.aspx

Sharon Haleva-Amir

Bar Ilan University, School of Communication ( email )

Ramat Gan
Israel

HOME PAGE: http://communication.biu.ac.il/

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