Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Photo: IDF Spokesperson

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“Far from the spotlight, using methods not visible to the naked eye, the government with its authority gave the IDF the freedom of action required to fulfill its role.  This enabled us to demonstrate initiative, creativity, and imagination, innovation that is a part of military history,” said the Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, today to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert during a festive farewell dinner that was held at Rabin military base in Tel Aviv.  Defense Minister Ehud Barak, members of the Prime Minister's Office and members of the IDF General Staff Forum also attended the event to pay tribute to the Prime Minister's three year term.

In regards to specific operations that the IDF carried out while Olmert was in office the Chief of the General Staff added, “Regarding the contribution to the security of the State of Israel there is no doubt, that it was a good thing to maintain the secrecy. In decisions, conflicts and dilemmas, he also demonstrated consideration between serious responsibility, risk taking and also the courage to make decisions.”

Lt. Gen. Ashkenazi presented the prime minister with an elegant bible and sincere parting words.  Prime Minister Olmert was also given a special edition of the IDF’s official Magazine BaMahane (“On Base”), which was released especially for him and commemorates his military service as a member of the magazine staff in the early seventies.  The magazine included a greeting from Lt. Gen. Ashkenazi to the exiting Prime Minister, as well as old articles written by Prime Minister Olmert, and more recent photographs.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, and Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi

“Mr. Prime Minister, nearing the end of your term, I would like to thank you personally for the period of our joint work, you gave a lot of support to the army.”  Lt. Gen. Ashkenazi added, “On behalf of the General Staff Forum, we wish you much success, and we are convinced that in the future you will continue to contribute with your experience to the continued development of the State of Israel.”

The Prime Minister turned to the General Staff Forum, thanking them for the period of cooperation, “The character that you project and radiated towards me during the past three years was that of development and not of inhibition.  You had the determination to keep moving forward to complete the task at hand without hesitation worry or lack of confidence.  The security that you demonstrated and the trust you knew how to project outward was the basis of the strength that we had to make decisions that in part perhaps, could be said were critical decisions.” Olmert added in his speech, “I am very thankful to you for this meeting.  It's very exciting.  Who else but you Gabi would know that the moments I had with IDF soldiers on different fronts were the greatest moments I had as Prime Minister of Israel."