The commission inquiring into the Beirut refugee camps massacre began its second round of hearings today. All witnesses testified in closed session. The first to take the stand was Mordechai Gur, a Labor Alignment MK and former Chief of Staff who appeared voluntarily. His testimony lasted for about a half hour.
He was followed by Maj. Gen.(res.) Shlomo Gazit, a former chief of military intelligence. Gazit had been subpoenaed by the head of Mossad, the intelligence agency. The latter, whose identity is an official secret, was one of nine top government and military leaders who were notified by the commission last month that they may be harmed if the panel reached certain conclusions on the basis of their original testimony.
The law allows persons so notified to re-appear to give additional testimony, examine evidence and summon and interrogate witnesses. The Mossad director also wants to question David Kimche, Director General of the Foreign Ministry. But the commission decided that a written statement submitted by Kimche was sufficient for the purpose and he need not appear.
Other witnesses, summoned at the behest of Maj. Gen. Yehoshua Saguy, the present chief of military intelligence, were heard today. Saguy, one of the nine who received the official warning, has also summoned Defense Minister Ariel Sharon for cross-examination. Sharon is expected to appear at a later date.
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