Defense Minister Amir Peretz with resigning army chief Dan Halutz (Archive)
Photo: Niv Kalderon
Peretz's associates fear 'domino effect'
Sources close to defense minister concerned army chief's resignation may prompt snowball effect, enhance calls for Peretz's resignation
Officials at Defense Minister Amir Peretz's office expressed mixed emotions Wednesday following IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz's resignation announcement.
Peretz's associates are mostly concerned that the resignation will trigger a snowball effect, which may influence the defense minister as well.
The officials voiced concerns that in the wake of Halutz's resignation, Peretz will also be called upon to quit.
"It's true that there is no link between the army chief's responsibility and that of the defense minister, but there may be a snowball that will disrupt all the plans," a close associate said.
However, other officials said they were confident Peretz will continue to serve as defense minister.
"At the moment there are no immediate affects on Amir Peretz," a close associate to the defense minister stated.
"The resignation mainly affects the defense minister's timetable. The domino effect does not necessarily have to go into force in this case. The army chief stood alone against the political echelons, in light of the harsh criticism leveled against him within the army following the war," he explained.
"Moreover, there's no connection between the executive echelon and the political echelon, and therefore there can be no domino effect," he concluded.
