JERUSALEM, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert still sees a chance of survival with backing from the ruling coalition, despite a scathing government inquiry report, which blamed him for launching a war with the Lebanese Hezbollah group without sufficient deliberation. 

    The report, presented on Monday by retired judge Eliyahu Winograd, head of the government-appointed inquiry committee, accused Olmert, Defense Minister Amir Peretz, and former Chief of Staff Dan Halutz of failing in their roles in the war last summer.     

    The report said that Olmert hastily led the country into the war on July 12 last year without a comprehensive plan, exercised poor judgment and bore ultimate responsibility for the war which killed more than 1,000 combatants and civilians on both sides.

    The prime minister is responsible for failing to clearly set out the aims of the war, and also for not having a clear definition of aims for the war and ways to achieve them, according to the report.

    "The war's aims were ambitious, and could not be reached. They were not within reach. All of these factors come together to form a serious failure of judgment, responsibility, and caution," Winograd said.

    According to the report, "the main responsibility for these severe failures are placed on the prime minister, the defense minister, and the former chief of staff. Had they acted differently, the results would have been different."

    Olmert was already under pressure to resign even before the report was issued. His support evaporated after the war, forcing him to shelve a plan to pull out Israeli settlers of the West Bank.

    However, Olmert, backed by a solid ruling coalition, vowed on Monday night that he would not resign, adding he would work to implement the conclusions of the report and try to fix the shortcomings.

    "The presentation of the report opens a new chapter of fixing mistakes and learning lessons," he said.

    Olmert had spoken with both Shas chairman Eli Yishai and Israel Beiteinu head Avigdor Lieberman. Sources close to him said he believed that his coalition remained stable.

    Although the report was harsher than indicated in leaks over the weekend, the sources said it was within range of what was expected in the Prime Minister's Office.

    Meanwhile, the weak point of the Winograd committee report is that if everyone is guilty, then no one is. Responsibility can be deflected from the prime minister to all the cabinet ministers. The entire Kadima party and most of the Knesset (Parliament) supported going to war.

    At this stage, no one in the Kadima and the ruling coalition at large, wants to shake up the system and call on early elections.

    "The government's insurance policy is the current balance of power between the coalition and the opposition in the Knesset. A young Knesset does not tend to shorten its lifespan," the local popular daily Ha'aretz reported.

    Gil Hoffman, chief political correspondent and analyst with the Jerusalem Post, stressed that the internal opposition from Olmert's Kadima party would not suffice to force him to step down." The prime minister will only quit by public pressure," he said.

    Some analysts believe that after the publication of the Winograd report, there's going to be a wave of public outcry. A rally against him is planned for next Thursday in Tel Aviv.

    But the demonstration has its own problems. Sources close to the rally have complained about difficulties in attracting participants and in raising money.