Barak to reservists: You can't tell me what to do

Defense minister fulminates against soldiers for demanding he quit gov't when Winograd report comes out, says he'll decide when the time comes.

Barak intense 224.88 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski [file])
Barak intense 224.88
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski [file])
Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Monday criticized IDF reservists for calling upon him to quit the coalition as soon as the Winograd report come out. "In a democratic country, there is no room for reservists to tell leaders what is right and what is wrong," Barak said. "After I read the report I will respect the soldiers' opinion and I will know what to decide." The defense minister was speaking at a Labor party meeting. A reservist interrupted Barak while he was speaking, and called him to live up to his word and pull Labor out of the government when the report comes out. On Sunday it was announced that the Winograd Report would come out on January 30. When Barak was elected to the Labor chairmanship, he promised that the party would quit the coalition as soon as the report came out, if the prime minister did not resign by then.