COS Halutz indicates his perception of morality limits effectiveness of IDF
in Gaza

"We still want to maintain moral, ethical and humane values in managing our
fighting."

Halutz: Criticism of IDF is out of proportion
Chief of Staff visits new recruits at training center in Tel Hashomer says,
'Criticism that goes out of proportion influences the entire army'; adds:
Use of cluster bombs in Lebanon war will be checked
Hanan Greenberg YNET Published: 11.20.06, 10:30
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3330297,00.html

Israel Defense Force Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz said Monday that
the, "General Staff is not just a name, but an institution. There is no
doubt that commanders and soldiers are looking and seeing what is happening
and are asking themselves questions. We need to look on the long term and
not on the short term and those asking for answers now may find a short term
solution but will cause damage on the long term."

Speaking during a visit he paid to new recruits Halutz heard high spirits
and motivations from new cadets, who said they are not motiveless by the
events of the war in Lebanon.

Speaking to reporters Halutz responded to criticism directed at the IDF and
his leadership, Halutz said that the criticism is out of proportion and,
"People want to serve in a place where they feel appreciated and the
people's army wants to be respected by its people."

Halutz said that an officer who feels that his mistakes will cost him his
career will thing twice before embarking on a long military career.

'Decision on Gaza operation complicated'

About the southern front and all that is related to the firing of Qassam
rockets at Sderot and the western Negev, Halutz said: "The State of Israel
has not surrendered to any Qassam, and there is no reason that it does so.
We need to act level-headedly . We still want to maintain moral, ethical and
humane values in managing our fighting."

Asked if a large-scale operation in the Gaza Strip is necessary, he said:
"It is very easy to suggest a suggestion like this but the world is not
built up of exerting power only. There are other levels like the legitimacy
of the operation, its implications, and the responsibility attached to it.
All these make up the web of evaluations as how to act."

About talk that a general will be appointed to check the use of cluster
bombs in Lebanon, he said: "We need to check that we respected all the
rules. The question was not if we could have used - but whether we respected
agreed-upon rules in all places in which we made use of cluster bombs. The
use was not surprising but was disappointing."