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Air Force Chief Defends Shehade Bombing Mission
Vered Levy-Barzilai (Ha'aretz) Israel Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Dan Halutz told Ha'aretz that the operation to drop a one-ton bomb on a crowded Gaza neighborhood to kill Hamas military leader Salah Shehade was proper - "militarily and morally." "The decision-making process was correct, balanced, and careful. The problem was with the information, the information changed. I reject all the criticism about this operation, before, during and after." Is it legitimate to strike at a terrorist even if innocent bystanders will be hurt? "Against a man who committed or is positively known to have the planning in hand for 'mega-terror,' my answer is categorically yes." As for the method chosen to kill Shehade, "for a half-ton bomb to achieve the effect we wanted, we would have needed two, because of the chance one wouldn't hit the target at all. And that was a decisive factor." "The attempt to find people to blame is shameful. I know of no armed force with the moral level of the IDF."