BREAKING NEWS: Winograd Committee Report Leaked

Channel 10 reports that Winograd Commission will reprimand Olmert for making 'hasty,' 'erroneous' decisions during war, slam Peretz for not seeking enough military advice, and chide former army chief for undermining rocket threat

The Winograd Committee's pending report on the failings of last year's Lebanon war will censure Prime Minister Ehud Olmert but will not recommend he resign, Israeli television Channel 10 reported on Friday.According to the television channel, the Winograd Commission concluded that Olmert's judgments before and during the war were "erroneous".

The commission appointed by the government to investigate the handling of last summer's war will point to a number of deficiencies in Prime Minister Ehud Olmert criticizing Olmert for "misguided and rash judgment" in launching the July-August offensive against Hezbollah. Channel 10 reported Friday evening.

In the seventh chapter of the report, entitled "Conclusions and Lessons," outlines a series of harsh criticisms towards Israeli political leaders examined by the Committee.

The report levels fierce criticism against PM Olmert, saying that his judgment was flawed and he reacted haphazardly in the early days of the conflict. According to the report, Olmert allowed his actions to be determined by those around him, instead of managing the conflict himself. The report also claims that Olmert didn't see the big picture and didn't plan for the long term in deciding how to react.

The report will also point to Defense Minister Amir Peretz who is accused of doing little to compensate for his lack of military experience when he resumed responsibility of the defense portfolio, Channel 10 reported.

According to the report, former IDF chief of staff Dan Halutz downplayed the threat of Katyusha rockets to citizens of the North.The commission also found that Halutz had failed to present the government with alternative military plans and had tried to persuade the political echelon to accept selected plans for how to respond to the attacks. The report also claims that he did not adapt any of his strategies during the war or offer any dynamic alternative strategies, as should be expected from a chief of staff. Halutz will also be reprimanded for silencing senior officers in his entourage who voiced opposition to some of his decisions and recommendations during the war, it was reported.

The committee will hand its report to Olmert and Peretz at 4 P.M. Monday, an hour before a press conference covering the central tenets of the report and a "special announcement to the public." At that time, the public portions of the report will be published on the committee's Web site.

More to come on Monday

This story compiled from Haretz and Ynet reports.

---