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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Israel's military chief resigns | Israel's military chief resigns |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| The head of Israel's armed forces, Lt Gen Dan Halutz, has resigned amid inquiries into last year's conflict with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. | The head of Israel's armed forces, Lt Gen Dan Halutz, has resigned amid inquiries into last year's conflict with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. |
| Gen Halutz said he wanted to assume his "responsibilities" after a war which has been widely criticised for failing to crush the anti-Israel militia. | Gen Halutz said he wanted to assume his "responsibilities" after a war which has been widely criticised for failing to crush the anti-Israel militia. |
| A military inquiry is now over, but the government's handling of the 34-day conflict is still being investigated. | A military inquiry is now over, but the government's handling of the 34-day conflict is still being investigated. |
| The resignation is the latest in a series of setbacks for PM Ehud Olmert. | The resignation is the latest in a series of setbacks for PM Ehud Olmert. |
| Hours before Gen Halutz made his announcement, the justice ministry ordered a criminal investigation into Mr Olmert's role in the privatisation of the country's second largest bank in 2005. | Hours before Gen Halutz made his announcement, the justice ministry ordered a criminal investigation into Mr Olmert's role in the privatisation of the country's second largest bank in 2005. |
| The BBC's Rachel Harvey in Jerusalem says now that the military chief has fallen on his sword, the spotlight is likely to shift back to the civilian leadership. | The BBC's Rachel Harvey in Jerusalem says now that the military chief has fallen on his sword, the spotlight is likely to shift back to the civilian leadership. |
| Under pressure | Under pressure |
| The military leadership has been criticised for poor planning, poor strategy and poor execution during the war. | The military leadership has been criticised for poor planning, poor strategy and poor execution during the war. |
| href="/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/middle_east_israelis_react_to_halutz_resignation/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/middle_east_israelis_react_to_halutz_resignation/html/1.stm', '1169035101', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=500,height=400,left=312,top=100'); return false;">Israeli views on the resignation of Lt Gen Dan Halutz href="/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/middle_east_israelis_react_to_halutz_resignation/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/middle_east_israelis_react_to_halutz_resignation/html/1.stm', '1169035101', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=500,height=400,left=312,top=100'); return false;" >In pictures | |
| In particular, Gen Halutz is accused of relying too heavily on air power and waiting too long to send in ground troops. | |
| When they were sent in, many soldiers complained of being poorly equipped. | When they were sent in, many soldiers complained of being poorly equipped. |
| Gen Halutz said he had decided to step down now because military inquiries into the conduct of the war had been completed. | Gen Halutz said he had decided to step down now because military inquiries into the conduct of the war had been completed. |
| "With the echoes of battle having faded, I have decided to act on my responsibility," he is quoted as saying in his resignation letter. | "With the echoes of battle having faded, I have decided to act on my responsibility," he is quoted as saying in his resignation letter. |
| State radio said Mr Olmert had tried in vain to convince him to stay until the results of all the investigations were known. | State radio said Mr Olmert had tried in vain to convince him to stay until the results of all the investigations were known. |
| Not freed | Not freed |
| Israel attacked the Lebanon-based Hezbollah after the group captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid last July. | Israel attacked the Lebanon-based Hezbollah after the group captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid last July. |
| WAR IN LEBANON Began on 12 July 2006 and lasted 34 daysIsraeli deaths: 116 soldiers and 43 civiliansAbout 1,000 Lebanese killed, mostly civiliansExtensive damage to infrastructure, thousands of homes destroyed Conflict facts and figures | |
| But it failed to free the soldiers or destroy Hezbollah before a ceasefire ended the fighting in August, with Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah claiming a strategic victory over Israel. | But it failed to free the soldiers or destroy Hezbollah before a ceasefire ended the fighting in August, with Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah claiming a strategic victory over Israel. |
| About 1,000 Lebanese were killed in the conflict, mostly civilians in Israel's vast bombardment of the county and land invasion in the south. Lebanon's infrastructure also suffered extensive damage. | |
| The Israeli army lost 116 soldiers. Forty-three Israeli civilians were also killed by more than 4,000 Hezbollah rocket attacks. | The Israeli army lost 116 soldiers. Forty-three Israeli civilians were also killed by more than 4,000 Hezbollah rocket attacks. |
| A former air force head, Gen Halutz became chief of the armed forces in June 2005. | A former air force head, Gen Halutz became chief of the armed forces in June 2005. |
| Several other senior army commanders have already resigned over the handling of the war. | Several other senior army commanders have already resigned over the handling of the war. |