Posted on 08/15/2006 3:31:17 AM PDT by Challenge
UNHEARD OF SCANDAL in ISRAEL: IDF COS Dan Halutz sold his potfolio after Hizbullah attack !YNET/GAMLA: News and Views from Israel
IDF confirms chief of staff sold his personal portfolio hours after Hizbullah kidnapped two soldiers on July 12; 'he is not a private man, his every act has influence on whole country,' officers say Hanan Greenberg
Why did Halutz sell his shares hours after soldiers were kidnapped? Embarrassment is prevailing in the Israel Defense Forces after reports on Tuesday that Chief of Staff Lit.-Gen. Dan Halutz sold market shares on July 12, the day Hizbullah kidnapped two soldiers in a cross-border attack.
Sources close to Halutz confirmed the reports to Ynet. "The chief of staff manages his family's financial affairs in a current manner like any Israeli citizen," an official statement read.
"The chief of staff is working day and night to defend the citizens of Israel and digging into his personal affairs is not appropriate," read the statement. The report was first published in the Maariv daily.
The stock exchange market witnessed falls on the first three days of fighting and many shareholders sold their shares.
Israeli officers were amazed by the reports Tuesday morning, with some saying the news is embarrassing.
"The chief of staff is not a private man and everything he does, even away from the public eye, has an impact on the whole country. I don't want to judge but the atmosphere is really not good," an officer said.
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On the John Batchelor show last night...didnt that guy he talked to from Israel say these kinds of storys would be appearing.
The wolves are circling Halutz and next up will be Olmert..
In our opinion, this just affirms that while the Hizbullah was armning and preparing itself for war, Israel's elites were busy trying to make as much money as they could.
While we are not against making money, their are limits, and Halutz has just shown us that the Elits thought there were none.
If this were just another politician, it is bad enough, but the Chief of Staff of the army?
We wish to remind all of us now that GAMLA censored Dan Halutz years ago, while putting his morals into question. Before he became COS, he was thought of as a man with right wing opinions. After becoming COS, he, unlike his successor Ayalon (who quit, not wanting to take part in the exiling of Jews from Gush Katif), he toed the left wing line in order, we said, to get the job. It seems, sadly, that we were right in questioning his morals.
Report: Halutz sold off portfolio after kidnapping
...Halutz confirms he did it.
Report: Halutz rejected 2002 US offer to buy 'bunker-buster' bombs
Is the scandal that he somehow profited from inside information, that he was conducting personal business when he should have been focused 100% on the military campaign, or both?
BOTH.
First of all, there is a question about "inside info", since he knew that the IDF was going to attack.
But even if not, there are many angry voices about soldiers not having the right equipment, trucks, etc...
A neighbor of mine just came home, and told how there were not enugh trucks for his battalion to leave Lebanon, so the battalion walked 20 kilometers... while this is not "terrible".. him hearing that his COS was making money at the same time.....
Or possibly a defeatist attitude?
HERE IS HALUTZ'S REPLY:
Halutz: Publishing sale of stocks - wicked and misrepresented
Chief of Staff Dan Halutz referred to the publication of his stock portfolio on the day which the soldiers were kidnapped from the north saying, "This is a wicked and misrepresented publication. I don't know who is behind it and I don't intend to get dragged into an issue that blemishes my integrity. I am a citizen of the state and I have my own personal economy."
Halutz confirmed the publication, but said, "The music accompanying the publication is deceitful and misguided."
That looks like a non-denial denial to me.
I don't get the scandal.
He sold his portfolio on news of kidnappings. Obviously the kidnappings were a market indicator in Israel that economy would be hurt so he sold.
What is the big deal?
(Go Israel, Go! Slap 'Em Down Hezbullies.)
The kidnappings weren't going to affect the economy, but an invasion of Lebanon is a whole different level of market influence.
In addition, if the reports of the equipment are true, it is very bad for someone to be spending crisis time on his personal bank account while the troops are without adequate supplies.
(Go Israel, Go! Slap 'Em Down Hezbullies.)
There was a story about a greater than usual buying of oil futures recently. The last time this happened was during the days before 9-11. Anyone have a link to that story?
in the US, is a broker/agent allowed to disclose client transactions such as described in the article?!
Since I assume that selling one's portfolio would not take more than one phone call to a broker, I don't see the scandal, either.
On 9/11 as soon as the second plane hit the WTC, I was off to the gas station to fill up my vehicles, then to the bank to get cash..I thought it was the practical thing to do.
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