Israel’s outgoing army chief today promised an “orderly transition” for his successor, the army said.

Israel failed to achieve all its objectives in its summer war against Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon, the Israeli army chief admitted today, but he rejected calls to resign as a result.

ISRAELI Defence Minister Amir Peretz yesterday created a committee to investigate Israel’s conduct during the 34-day fight against Hezbollah following growing criticism of ministers and generals.

Israel widened its ground war in Lebanon on Saturday, almost tripling the number of troops there as it tried to seize more territory and inflict as much damage as possible on Hezbollah guerrillas before a UN ceasefire deal takes effect.

Signalling a reverse in the government’s position today, Israel’s military chief of staff did not rule out negotiations to secure the release of a soldier held by Palestinian militants.

Israel’s armed forces chief today said Iran was playing a dangerous game with its continuing march toward nuclear development, but it was not Israel’s place to take action.

Thousands of police fanned out across northern Israel and Jerusalem today to prevent possible rioting as a grieving and angry Arab community prepared to bury four Israeli Arabs gunned down by a Jewish soldier opposed to Israel’s impending pullout from the Gaza Strip.

Israel’s military chief today said that Palestinian attacks on Israeli troops trying to evacuate Gaza Strip settlements this summer could cause a temporary delay in the pullout, but would not force it to be canceled.

A day of violence in which six people were killed threatened a four-month truce, but Israeli and Palestinian officials were making efforts to hold the line.

Israel will kill the founder of Hamas, Sheik Ahmed Yassin, in retaliation for a suicide attack on border guards, Israel’s deputy defence minister said in the bluntest warning yet against leaders of the Islamic militant group.

Israel is set to resume targeted killings of top Hamas militants and levelled a blunt warning to the group’s elderly spiritual leader that he tops the list of those to be hunted and put to death.

A group of air force pilots are refusing to carry out air strikes in Palestinian territories, the first such protest from pilots, who are revered in Israel.

Israel knew the wife of a senior Hamas militant was with him when it decided to kill him, but went ahead with the air strike anyway, the air force commander said today.