Israel's Peres says wouldn't have entered Lebanon war

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres said in testimony to a war inquiry that he would not have started last year's war in Lebanon if it was up to him.

The government-appointed Winograd commission is examining how Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, his cabinet and the military handled the inconclusive war that Israel fought against Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas last year.

"If it were up to me, I would not have entered into this war," Peres said in testimony last year to the commission. Excerpts of his testimony were released by the panel on Thursday.