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  • ISRAEL: Israel appoints new military chief, Gabi Ashkenazi

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ISRAEL: Israel appoints new military chief, Gabi Ashkenazi

Israel swore in a new military chief on Wednesday, giving the post to a veteran combat soldier with experience of fighting Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert appointed a new Israeli military army chief on Wednesday (February 14) in his Jerusalem office. Gabi Ashkenazi replaces Lieutenant-General Dan Halutz who resigned last month following public criticism of Israel's failure to crush the Hezbollah guerrillas in a month-long war last year. Ashkenazi began his four-year term as army chief of staff after a ceremony in which Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defence Minister Amir Peretz formally promoted him to the rank of lieutenant-general. Ashkenazi, 52, was chosen at least in part because of his limited role in the Lebanon war. In his acceptance speech, he vowed that the army was "prepared to carry out the lessons learned" from the war. Ashkenazi was not in uniform during the war and served as the defence ministry's director-general. Ashkenazi served in southern Lebanon and headed the army's northern command in the final years before Israeli troops, after constant attacks by Hezbollah fighters, withdrew after a 22-year occupation in 2000. During the hand-over ceremony, Halutz took a swipe at his critics. He said he had stepped aside in acceptance of responsibility but not in blame, and said Israel should investigate its "culture of discourse, inflammatory statements and leaks." "As for my responsibility, as I see it, I took it when I asked from the prime minister to resign. Responsibility is not blame. The habit of beheading as a means of taking responsibility is a destructive habit." Some 1,200 Lebanese and 157 Israelis were killed in the 34-days of fighting that ended with a United Nations-sponsored ceasefire in mid-August. A government-named panel examining the handling of the war is expected to issue its initial findings in the coming weeks.

ITN Source | February 15, 2007Watch more videos from ITN Source

Tags:. .prepared. .limited. .experience. .least. .minister











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