Israel's Olmert seeks delay on Lebanon war report

Jerusalem, Mar 5: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert asked parliament today to delay the release of a key report expected to criticise inadequate protection for Israeli civilians under rocket fire during last year's war in Lebanon.

Olmert's approval ratings have plummeted since the inconclusive month-long war that was widely criticised for Israel's failure to crush Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon.

Under a hail of public criticism, Olmert has named a panel of judges to investigate these complaints about the military.

State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss has launched a separate probe into complaints the Israeli home front was unprepared to face the onslaught of rockets fired by Hezbollah during the fighting.

Parliament has scheduled a committee hearing to air these findings on Tuesday.

Amid reports the government would face criticism for inadequate bomb shelters and warning systems to civilians, Olmert accused Lindenstrauss of ''sowing panic'' among Israelis, in a letter whose contents were published by his office.

In the letter to the parliament speaker's bureau, Olmert also accused the comptroller's office of leaking ''false reports'' ahead of the report and of failing to solicit a government response before publishing its findings.

''I see no room'' for plans to release it at a parliament committee meeting on Tuesday, Olmert wrote.

The Israeli military has also asked to see a draft of the report before publication, a military spokesman said.

It was unclear whether parliament would agree to the postponement requests.

The controversy over the comptroller's report has set the stage for a tougher fight Olmert may face when the judicial panel submits preliminary findings expected in a matter of weeks, into charges of military failings during the war.

Israeli officials have been forced to resign in the wake of investigations into past military campaigns.

Some 1,200 Lebanese and 157 Israelis were killed in the month-long conflict that erupted in July after Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid and Israel responded with heavy bombardments in southern Lebanon.

Reuters