Olmert reprimands Amos Gilad for critical comments in 'Ma'ariv'

By HERB KEINON
Just prior to Wednesday's security cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called the Defense Ministry's diplomatic-military bureau chief Amos Gilad and his boss, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, into his office and sharply reprimanded Gilad for extremely critical comments of the government's policy attributed to him that appeared in Wednesday's Ma'ariv. Gilad, according to the paper, said he didn't understand the current policy change of linking captured IDF soldier Gilad Schalit to the cease-fire. "I don't understand what they are trying to do," he said. "Insult the Egyptians? We've already done that. This is insanity, simply insanity. Egypt remains almost our last ally here. For what? We are harming national security," he was quoted as saying. "The Egyptians are exhibiting great courage."