Israeli general quits over war
2006-11-13 11:00
Jerusalem - An Israeli general in charge of troops along the Lebanese border resigned on Sunday after being accused of failing to prevent the capture of two soldiers that triggered a month-long war with Hezbollah fighters.
Brigadier-General Gal Hirsch is the second Israeli general
to quit amid widespread public criticism of military failures
during the 34-day war that ended with a UN-brokered ceasefire
in mid-August.
"He has submitted his resignation," a military spokesperson
said of Hirsch, who, according to Israeli media reports, stepped
down after a military probe accused him of "improper
functioning" after the two soldiers were seized on July 12.
Hezbollah abducted them in a cross-border raid in which
eight other troops were killed. Israel responded with heavy
aerial bombardments of Lebanon.
The war killed more than 1 200 Lebanese, mostly civilians, and 157 Israelis, mostly soldiers.
Hirsch had been head of the Galilee Brigades, which is
responsible for patrolling Israel's northern border.
Israeli reservist general Doron Almog, who headed the first
of a number of internal probes into events leading up to the
war, told reporters on Sunday after presenting his findings:
"The conclusion is that the kidnappings could have been
prevented on July 12."
The probe also found there had been a "huge gap" between
military regulations and how orders were carried out in the
field, an army statement said.
The military's chief of staff, Lieutenant-General Dan
Halutz, said later on Sunday he had taken on board the
conclusions of the probe and had accepted Hirsch's resignation.