The Winograd report, which evaluates the performance of Israeli decision-makers during the conflict with Lebanon, could be delayed as long as another year, due to a ruling made Thursday by Israel's High Court of Justice.

The court decided to appoint a three-judge panel to review a petition submitted by the military defense attorney's office, legal sources told Haaretz.

The petition urges the court to order the Winograd committee to conduct hearings for soldiers and officers who could be harmed by the committee's findings.

The court will begin reviewing the petition in mid-September.

If the court accepts the army's arguments, it would mean a delay of several months to a whole year past the report's October deadline, Haaretz said.