Prime Minister Ehud Olmert this morning convened the Ministerial Committee on Implementing the Winograd Committee Recommendations in order to discuss implementing the recommendations of the steering committee chaired by former IDF Chief-of-Staff Amnon Lipkin-Shahak.  The steering committee was established in order to recommend steps to implement the Winograd Committee recommendations.

The Ministerial Committee discussed two of the steering committee's main recommendations.  Ministers first discussed the draft National Security Council Law which would provide a legal basis for the NSC.  It was decided to submit ministers' comments to the Ministerial Committee on Legislation and law Enforcement ahead of the final wording of the draft law prior to its submission to the Knesset.

Ministers next discussed the establishment of a crisis management center in the Prime Minister's Office as per the Winograd Committee recommendations.  Prime Minister Olmert instructed NSC Chairman Ilan Mizrahi to submit – within 30 days – a plan to establish the center, the responsibility of which will be to provide the Prime Minister with a full picture of the situation – not just in emergencies – in order to assist him in managing security, diplomatic, economic and social crises.