Halutz Must go Home When the Last Soldier Returns

Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Dan Halutz has a rich record as a courageous pilot and leading air force officer. But once the story in Maariv broke out Tuesday that he had sold his investment portfolio the day the war broke out, it was hard to find anyone among the IDF officers who would stand in his corner. Opinion in the IDF is near unanimous: Halutz must go home the minute the last soldier leaves Lebanon.

When radio stations began dealing with the news in earnest, a shock wave blasted through IDF headquarters all the way to various units in the front. Officers found it difficult to believe. Could it be that between an emergency meeting of IDF leadership, in which Halutz promised to "take Lebanon back 20 years," to a consultation with the defense minister in which he recommended war, the chief of staff found the time to call his investment adviser and order him to sell stock worth NIS 120,000? Indeed, according to the response of the IDF Spokesman and Halutz himself.

Combat pilots are known for their ability to focus. Perhaps that is how pilot Halutz views war: one moment you are over Damascus, getting shot at by anti-aircraft guns, and an hour or two later it's back to the pilot's club.

Halutz did not see a problem with his behavior. But he was critical of the newspaper that published a "malicious, evil story that certainly some [interested party] is behind its leak."

But from the point of view of the infantry and tank troops, deep in the mud, with supply lines that sometimes are slow in delivering the goods, things look differently. At noon, on July 12, when brigade commander Colonel Chen Livni and his soldiers were trying to rescue the bodies of four soldiers from the burned remains of a tank near the site of Hezbollah's raid, the chief of staff was talking with his bank. Did the reservists who were rushed to the north under emergency orders (and some did not return) have time for similar arrangements?

Questions already raised regarding the need for the head of the IDF to be one of the "sheep," from the ground forces, before he can lead the "herd," emerged once again.

The story emerged into a very sensitive political scene, and there are elements of a witch hunt. Politicians are looking for a scapegoat, since the public will not be satisfied with the removal of Northern Command head, Major General Udi Adam. It is no surprise, therefore, that the offices of the prime minister and defense minister refrained from issuing a statement supporting the current chief of staff. But they will also not rush to attack, fearing what Halutz has to say about them. They will wait patiently for the public to have its say.