Word: halutz
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...Prime Minister reacted with gentlemanly relief, praising the outgoing Chief of Staff as "brave and courageous" even though Halutz was the strategist behind Israel's ill-conceived summer war in Lebanon, since which the public had been clamoring for his ouster. Ministerial sources told TIME that Halutz tendered his resignation to Olmert on Sunday but didn't bother informing his immediate superior, Defense Minister Amir Peretz, until late Tuesday night. Peretz's office promised secrecy to allow Halutz time to break the news to his troops, but then immediately leaked the news...
...Halutz's bypassing the defense minister was a sign of his disdain for Peretz, these sources said. Olmert shares the general's disdain for Labor Party leader Peretz, a former trade unionist and neophyte in security matters. The prime minister pointedly declared before choosing a new military chief, he would consult with retired and active generals - not with his defense minister...
...Halutz, who has a reputation for being blunt to the point of arrogance, was clinging to his job until two weeks ago, when he realized that the armed forces were no longer with him. Serving and retired officers told a Knesset committee that they wanted Halutz removed. "Halutz looked behind and saw that none of his troops were following him into battle," said one military source...
...Olmert must have been grateful for the timing of Halutz's resignation because it took over the front page from an embarrassing story about criminal investigations of Olmert - possibly three of them - over allegedly fraudulent deals that occurred while he was finance minister...
...contrast to the prime minister's kind words, Peretz remained silent about the Chief of Staff's resignation, leaving it to an anonymous official to mutter to Israeli journalists that "Halutz needed to do this a long time...