Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (right) and Defence Minister Amir Peretz arrive for the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on Sunday. - Reuters

JERUSALEM (AP):

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert yesterday tried to defuse growing public anger over his handling of the war against Hezbollah, promising to rebuild rocket-scarred border areas and saying his predecessors failed to prepare for the growing threat of the Lebanese guerrilla group.

With Israeli troops in southern Lebanon awaiting the arrival of international peacekeepers, soldiers shot two Hezbollah guerrillas who approached the force in a "threatening manner" late yesterday, the army said.

There was no word on the guerrillas' condition, but the incident underscored the fragility of a week-old truce.

Since the U.N.-brokered cease-fire took effect, ending 34 days of war, the Israeli public's frustration with the performance of the government and the military has grown steadily.

Calls for official inquiry

The outrage showed no signs of relenting yesterday, with hundreds of reservists calling for an official inquiry, some marching outside Olmert's office to demand his resignation.

The war, launched in response to a Hezbollah raid in which two soldiers were kidnapped, initially enjoyed broad public support, but criticism grew as the fighting dragged on and the Israeli death toll grew. Critics said Israel's political and military leaders were indecisive, set unrealistic goals and settled for an insufficient truce.

The harshest criticism has come from reserve soldiers, who form an integral part of the military. Reservists returning from Lebanon complained about poor command and a lack of food, water and equipment.

Several dozen reservists marched about 15 kilometers (10 miles) into Jerusalem yesterday, gathered at a park opposite Olmert's office and demanded his resignation and that of defence minister, Amir Peretz. They carried Israeli flags and banners calling for an investigation.

"I'm telling Ehud Olmert and Amir Peretz to look me in the eye and tell me they are fit to hold their posts," Sgt. Maj. Lior Vilnes, one of the protesters, told Channel Two television.

Hundreds of other reservists circulated a petition calling for an official inquiry into the handling of the war, while bereaved parents added their voices.