Israel’s former IDF chief was honored with a ribbon for the Second Lebanon War.
Retired Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz resigned early this year amid widespread criticism of his handling of last year’s war with Hezbollah. Halutz came to Israel’s General Staff headquarters Monday to receive a ribbon for the war from Defense Minister Ehud Barak.
Halutz’s deputy, retired Maj.-Gen. Moshe Kaplinski, also was among the honorees.
Noticeably absent was retired Maj.-Gen. Udi Adam, who was chief of Israel’s Northern Command when Hezbollah sparked the 34-day war by abducting two soldiers in a July 12, 2006, border raid.
Adam was sidelined by Halutz and Kaplinski early in the conflict and, after the war ended in a U.N.-brokered truce, was the first member of the Israeli top brass to step down.
The Defense Ministry’s decision to issue a campaign ribbon for the Lebanon war has stirred much debate in Israel, given that the conflict’s achievements remain unclear.
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