In my last article; Let’s Kill the Cow (http://voleh.org/lets-kill-the-cow/) I wrote: “I know this article will cause many people to be angry, but the truth is that Israel is one of the most corrupt countries in the developed world today.”
Since that article appeared, many comments have been sent to me. Some people didn’t like the article, others loved it. Since then, if anyone has had any doubts, it’s time to kill the kicking cow and the sooner the better.
Here are some of the latest developments:
The Supreme Court
The Supreme Court, or “The Supremely Arrogant Court” as Mr. Michael Freund wrote last week: “This is unhealthy, unacceptable and unpardonable, and it is time for measures to be taken to rein in a Supreme Court gone wild. With the stroke of a pen, the High Court of Justice struck a decisive blow to Israel’s democracy last week, one that should send a shudder down the spine of anyone who cherishes basic principles such as the separation of powers and individual liberty. For the second time in the past year, the learned judges tossed out a law duly passed by the Knesset regarding the detention of illegal migrants, thereby usurping for themselves power to which they are not entitled and authority far beyond their scope. In effect, the court flexed its institutional muscles, shoving aside the executive and legislative branches of government and riding roughshod over the nation’s elected representatives.”
These kinds of court decisions are a clear blow to the democratic principle of “Separation of Powers”. Still nothing has been done to protest the court’s action, and probably will never happen because “deals are being cut behind our backs”. Deals between politicians and “someone” – you figure it out.
The Police
Six generals in the police force in this last year were being investigated. The reasons are the same: involvement in some illegal activity, suspicion of criminal activity, etc. What are we, the citizens, supposed to think of the power charged with implementing the legislative’s decisions?
Ministers, IDF, Mayors, etc
Another Minister (former) is under investigation for taking bribes during his term. Another mayor was found guilty of the same illegal activity. In the last few years several mayors were under investigation, some were found guilty, others cut some deal and just left. Few ministers were involved in investigations by the same police (!).
How many Prime Ministers, Generals, Chiefs of Staff (IDF), Police Commissioners, Chief Rabbis, Judges, Ministers and Presidents have been involved in some kind of criminal activity or were at least suspects? (Most were found to have taken part in criminal activities many sentenced) Just a few examples (not in order): Ezer Weitzman, Ariel Sharon, Moshe Katsav, Itzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres, Bibi Netanyahu, Binymin Ben Eliezer, Gonen Seguev, Yakov Neeman, Ehud Barak, Itzhak Cohen, Gabi Ashkenazi, Beni Gantz, Shlomi Lahiani, Yona Metzger, Nisso Saham, Arye Deri, Haim Ramon, Stas Misezhnikov … This is just a very partial list!
Is the worst still to come?
More and more people are demanding (again) to have free access to all the documents and findings of the “Agranat Commission” from November 1973. The Agranat Commission was a National Commission of Inquiry set up to investigate failings in the Israel Defense Forces in the prelude to the Yom Kippur War. The Commission also found Chief of Staff Dado Elazar responsible. Dado died at the age of 51 without having his name cleared.
The publication of the Commission’s report will probably open a Pandora’s Box – it is time to kill this cow as well and let the people know what really happened, and who was to blame for this blunder – The 1973 Yom Kippur War.
Transparency and Courage
As I wrote in my earlier article: “In Israel, we lack basic transparency and we lack the courage to tell and admit the truth.”
We are running out of time
Do we have a choice in how to deal with this blatant disregard of the ethics on which our country is based? No, we don’t. Even if it is painful, we have to bring about changes! If we don’t kill the cow now, then we will provide the grounds to raise more and more undesired sacred cows. It is a shame and no Jew, whether in Israel or anywhere else in the world, should be willing to accept this mockery of our democratic principles.
