Israel the Banana Republic

I haven't written much about the political situation the last few weeks. I suppose I was exhausted after the summer. I am also disillusioned about the state of affairs in Israel (not to mention my continued dismay at how Israel is portrayed by the world media, academia and intellectual and cultural elites, but that's another story). However, events over the last week or two have compelled me to write. I have said this in private to a few friends and family and admitted it to myself, but never really felt the need to declare it publicly, but Israel is a banana republic. No doubt about it.
Here are a few recent examples of why this is the case:
1. Our president, Moshe Katzav, who holds the office that is supposed to be above politics and represent all that is good and decent in Israeli society, will most likely be indicted for rape and sexual harassment. This is what the police are recommending-the country is waiting for the attorney generals office to decide if they are, indeed, going to indict. President Katzav has failed to fulfill the duties of his office. Is he going to resign or suspend himself? Of course not!
2. Speaking of the president: others are already clamoring and putting their name forward to replace Katsav. We have Likud MK Reuvan Rivlan, Labor MK Colette Avital, former Chief Rabbi Lau, and of course, Kadima MK Shimon Peres.
Peres never knows when to cut his losses. He has it good. He is an MK, he has the ear of the prime minister, and he has some power. Let your megalomania rest man!!!!! Your 84 years old!!!! But no, he won't. He is already campaigning hard for the presidency. Not only that he and his allies are campaigning to change the basic law governing the election of the president.
According to basic law 3, the president is elected in a secret ballot by the Knesset. This is so that every MK can vote their conscience and so that they do not feel compelled to vote with their political party and so that they won't be penalized by their party or the public after the vote. It has worked pretty well since the law was enacted in 1964. Why does Peres want this transparency? Because during the last presidential election, he lost to Katsav in a secret ballot, so hey, let's change the law to make sure members of Knesset vote as Shimon Peres wants them to this time.
3. The Labor Party Central Committee voted to stay in the coalition with Lieberman and his Yisrael Beteinu Party (Israel Our Home – a right wing party). Power above principals!!!!
4. Lieberman joining the government after he backed down on all of his demands for joining the coalition. Power above principals!!!! And deputy prime minister in charge of strategic planning? What's up with that?
Well it brings me to my next one:
5. In the aftermath of the Lebanon War this summer, it is frightening how ad hoc and off the cuff this country engages in strategic planning. The system is not stable. Coming up with this title to salve politicians ego is a great case in point.
6. It just came out, that, even though they were subject to harsh criticism (whatever that means), the four division commanders responsible for the conduct of the ground war in Lebanon this summer have not been punished. Most of them have been promoted. Let's hear it for the good old boy network!
I guess it is the tried and true method. This week is the 50th anniversary of the 1956 Sinai War. During that war a certain brash, reckless colonel ordered an assault on Mitla Pass (after repeatedly being ordered not to do so). This operation was completely unnecessary and caused dozens of casualties. He rose to the rank of major general. And yes, he did cross the Suez Canal in 1973 (but that is another story).
The bottom line is that, we are all waiting, clamoring for change, for the complete restructuring and repair that we all know the political and governing system needs. When and how it will come is another question entirely.