JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced on Monday an inquiry into the Lebanon war but stopped short of ordering an independent investigation.

Olmert's choice avoids the prospect of high-level resignations which an independent probe could have brought.

"The government, headed by myself, will appoint an investigative committee," Olmert said in a speech in the northern city of Haifa, which was hit frequently by rockets during the 34-day war against Hizbollah.

"The committee will be charged with examining the government's functioning in taking decisions and all that it sees as fit."

Olmert has been facing calls to launch a thorough, independent probe over the army's preparedness for the Lebanon conflict, the government's conduct of the war and failure to crush the Lebanese guerrilla group.

But he said that he did not wish to expose the army, heavily criticized for its performance, to an full-blooded and drawn-out inquiry. Instead, the military would have to carry out its own internal probe, he said.

Olmert emphasized that the decision to go to war had been his alone, and admitted to shortcomings in how the war had been pursued. Initially, Israeli officials had talked about the conflict lasting just a matter of days, not more than a month.

"I want to make one thing clear, the responsibility for the decision to go to war...is entirely mine," he said.

"I know there are controversies about the degree of success that perhaps was due to early expectations."

A ceasefire to the conflict came into effect on August 14, since when there have been minor skirmishes, but no full outbreak of fighting between Israeli troops and Hizbollah.

A U.N.-authorized peacekeeping force, expected to be led by France, is gradually taking up positions in southern Lebanon to police the ceasefire, although it is not expected to meet the 15,000-strong number initially hoped for.

The Lebanese army is also expected to deploy up to 15,000 men to the region.

Olmert has said that Israeli troops will only withdraw from the area once the international force and Lebanese troops are in place.