Corruption in High Places

The Knesset in Israel has been plagued with a new Bill up for the third reading - a notorious Recommendation Bill that prevents the general public from knowing about police enquiries into sitting prime ministers suspected of breaking the law as well as weakening the police system and the law courts. If this Bill becomes law it will be another slap in the face of Israel's democracy.

Coalition chair David Bitan leaves his home on his way to be questioned by police on suspicion of corruption, December 6, 2017. (Screen capture: Ynet)

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The architects of this disgraceful Bill are two of Netanyahu’s loyal supporters or “keepers” - the Two Davids - MKs David Amsalem 1 and David Bitan 2. The former has a shady history with the police and the latter is under investigation by the police for bribery, corruption and money laundering. He was questioned for 14 hours by the police - Lahav 433 3. He will undergo a number of sessions of police enquiries as suspicions of criminal activity against him are high. This resulted in the shelving of this Bill for the present. If MK David Bitan, the Likud Coalition Chairman, is found guilty he will receive a prison sentence. The future of David Bitan in the Knesset is now uncertain.

Husam Jarushi, a reported mobster linked to suspected wrongdoing by Likud MK David Bitan,

It is quite possible that the Two Davids were in a great hurry to get the undemocratic Recommendation Bill passed into law as soon as possible as both of them had personal issues with the police. Amsalem was questioned by the police some years ago but nothing was found, while Bitan must have known that he is soon to be questioned by the police. Both abrasive, bulldozing Davids were keen to pass this law each for their own reasons, using the Netanyahu investigation as an excuse to get the Bill passed into law. Netanyahu decided that the Recommendation Bill should not apply to him and with David Bitan out of the picture with an uncertain political future, left his partner, Amsalem high and dry, this Bill was shelved for the time being.

The present Likud has become a party of arrogant scoundrels involved in all kinds of cartels and scandals directly or indirectly. It is a far cry from the Likud of the Late PM Menachem Begin 4 and the Revisionism 5 of Ze’ev Jabotinsky 6 - who can be viewed as the founding fathers of the Likud ideology. Whether one agrees with the Likud ideology or not, there is no doubt that these founding fathers were true statesmen and had the interests of Israel in their hearts. The present lots of Likud members are far from that mould. They have become self-righteous and arrogant, connected directly or indirectly with all kinds of shady business deals to “make a quick buck” at the expense of the electorate they purport to represent.

In a democracy, this incident including the police investigations of a sitting prime minister and the criminal investigations of his close associate and supporter, David Bitan, would result in recommendations for the government to resign and a call for new elections. Israel being Israel this is not going to happen. Even if elections were called, there would be no change for the better. Israel has moved toward the right and extreme right, even the new Zionist Camp leader, Avi Gabbay, is pandering for votes from the Likud by playing populist right-wing politics.

PM Benjamin Netanyahu does not seem to be phased by the criminal investigations against him and will probably be re-elected as prime minister in the next elections. The old cry “Benjamin Netanyahu is the best Prime Minister Israel has ever had. There is nobody to replace him!” This mantra will undoubtedly be the case in the next Israeli General Elections.

Despite all these misgivings about Israel’s political future under a Likud Government that is becoming increasingly corrupt, we, Citizens of Israel, must draw the necessary conclusions. We must vote against the corrupt Likud and its band of cartel-serving politicians, many of their high ranking MKs are connected with shady financial deals for their own personal enrichment. The corrupt rot has set in the Likud Party. It has been in power too long. A sitting prime minister should not be allowed to be elected for more than two terms. Israel has set the example of what happens when a prime minister holds office beyond that. He ceases to serve the country and views the country as his personal property. Even Israel’s UN Representative, Danny Danon, has criminal suspicions in creating jobs for pals as well as nepotism in allotting these jobs. We cannot allow Israel to become a banana republic resembling ANC ruled South Africa.

THE LIKUD MUST GO!

Refererences:

1. "Dudu Amsalem - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dudu_Amsalem. Accessed 5 Dec. 2017.
2. "Coalition chair MK David Bitan suspected of receiving bribes, money ...." 3 Dec. 2017, https://www.timesofisrael.com/coalition-chair-mk-david-bitan-suspected-of-receiving-bribes-money-laundering/. Accessed 5 Dec. 2017.
3. "Lahav 433 - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lahav_433. Accessed 5 Dec. 2017.
4. "Menachem Begin - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menachem_Begin. Accessed 5 Dec. 2017.
5. Revisionist Zionism - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revisionist_Zionism. Accessed 5 Dec. 2017.
6. "Ze'ev Jabotinsky - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ze%27ev_Jabotinsky. Accessed 5 Dec. 2017.

The Commissars of Israel

The present right-wing Coalition Government of Israel, in the eyes of many of Israel’s right to the extreme right-wing section of Israel’s electorate, which, unfortunately, is the majority of the electorate, who view some of the cabinet ministers as representing Israel’s interests. Those on the left to centre left are increasingly viewed as traitors of Israel. This trend is, unfortunately, on the increase. 

Those connected with various criminal files (seen as victims of a hostile left-wing press in right wing eyes) are viewed as “fake news” to use a “Trump Esque” definition. It appears that any news negative to the Likud and its coalition partners, including the latter’s supporters, are viewed as close to treason. The ruling government views the police enquiries of Bibi Netanyahu and the indictment of Sara Netanyahu as a tactic of the left to create a situation conducive to Netanyahu’s downfall.

Even the rearguard, Yair Netanyahu,  Bibi and Sara Netanyahu's son, has been using anti-Semitic memes on his Fb page 1. as revenge for the indictment of his beloved mom, Sara. Papa Bibi never even reprimanded him for his shocking behaviour. No comment from Papa Bibi Netanyahu means tacit support for squirt Yair’s nefarious activity on his Fb page. Is it possible that Papa Bibi is priming Yair for becoming part of the “Netanyahu Dynasty” in the future? Who knows and who can predict?

What is not even surprising even though it should be is the support that Yair gets from many of Netanyahu’s supporters 2, despite the disgust expressed by many Jewish organizations beyond Israel’s borders and even political leaders within Israel itself.

The present Likud is a disgrace to Israel. It is such a far cry from its founding fathers, the Late Ze’ev Jabotinsky and Menachem Begin, who were liberals, believers in democracy and idealists that never sought their own personal aggrandizement like the present lot with its Commissars of Justice, Culture and Sport - just to name two outstanding examples. These two individuals - Ayelet Shaked (Justice Commissar) and Miri Regev (Culture and Sports Commissar) are the most outstanding examples. Another Commissar is the suspected fraudster, Arye Deri, Minister of the Interior 3.

While the police investigation of Netanyahu and his wife have raised speculation on whether Netanyahu will eventually be forced to step down, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said he would not legally be required to if indicted 4.

Ayelet Shaked wants to apply Israeli Legislation to the illegal settlements enterprise within a year and thus have de facto annexation of the settlements that are not recognized as part of Israel according to international law.

Shaked wishes to pack the Courts with conservative judges conforming to her and her party’s agenda of justice that is moving towards a fascist interpretation of the Jewish State that comes first and democracy comes second if not third. There are some very disturbing trends in Ayelet Shaked’s Ministry of Justice that are a threat to Israel’s democracy that appears to be moving towards fascism.

Ayelet Shaked

The other well-known commissar is the Minister of Culture and Sport, Miri Regev 5. She views her job as that of the national censor. In which country of the free world does the Minister of Culture and Sport decide what cultural projects in theatre, art, film and literature are deserving of state funding? Where does the Minister of Culture unilaterally decide that cultural projects that are not in line with her government agenda must be ostracized and viewed as potential fifth column and not deserving of state subsidies? Our Minister of Culture and Sport has become the Commissar of Culture as in totalitarian states under  Communist or Fascist dictatorships.

 She decides what is culture and what is not. She has introduced a "Culture and Loyalty Bill" in the hope that it will pass all three readings and become law. Anything that goes against her personal agenda and that of her party is ridiculed and stands a chance of not being granted state funding for cultural projects as if state funding comes from her pocket. She has a severe problem with cultural projects that do not tow her government line. She views these projects as serving the interests of Israel’s enemies. She is boisterous, loud, and exudes ignorance of culture that is not within her personal party agenda. An example of this was at the Cannes Film Festival, where her disgraceful behaviour brought no honour to Israel in her choice of dress 6.

She threatens artists and calls them enemies of Israel if their projects are not in accordance with her agenda.  She appears to gain admiration for her outspokenness by many of her Likud Party supporters and colleagues, who view her as the “custodian of culture” 7.

Miri Regev, the Commissar of Culture, in her controversial dress

 

1. Recently the Israeli film “Foxtrot” won the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at the Venice International Film Festival on Saturday, Sept 9th, 2017. The paranoiac Commissar of Culture, Miri Regev, viewed this achievement as a move by Israel’s enemies to discredit Israel. She never even saw the film but relied on the information supplied to her by her fellow party cronies 8. She has no idea what culture is and views anything beyond her narrow world view as anathema and inimical to Israel. This film received great acclaim. Only a warped biased mind can view it as being anti-Israel. The latest is that this Commissar of Culture has been snubbed by Israel's Ophir Awards Committee, which is Israel's Oscar Awards and has not been invited. She views herself as the custodian of Mizrachi culture. She deserves the snub as it symbolizes her lack of respect for those who are different and she creates unpleasantness with her threats as well as forcing acceptance of her agenda on culture.This occurred at the previous Ophir Award ceremony when she addressed the audience and created a rumpus. To quote her own words she said they must "Cut the Bullshit". Probably the only English sentence she knows as she illustrates the heights of her own boorishness. She claims that the snub is undemocratic. She, of course, is "democratic and tolerant - a true paragon of culture".

Commissars in cabinet posts in Israel do not bode well for Israel’s democratic future. It bodes well for the seedlings of fascism to take root and those in opposition to the right-wing Coalition Government will continue to be viewed as traitors to Israel as their mouths and minds will be clamped eventually.

1. "Israel prime minister Netanyahu's son under fire for 'anti-Semitic' social ...." 10 Sep. 2017, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/10/israel-prime-minister-netanyahus-son-fire-anti-semitic-social/. Accessed 12 Sep. 2017.
2. "Yair Netanyahu exposes Israel's own version of the 'alt-right' | The ...." 12 Sep. 2017, https://www.timesofisrael.com/yair-netanyahu-exposes-israels-own-version-of-the-alt-right/. Accessed 12 Sep. 2017.
3. "Deri questioned, 14 detained in corruption investigation - Israel News ...." 29 May. 2017, http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Authorities-arrest-14-on-tax-offenses-across-Israel-494196. Accessed 14 Sep. 2017. 
4. 3 Aug. 2017, http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/netanyahu-indictment-bribery-fraud/2017/08/03/id/805640/. Accessed 12 Sep. 2017. 
5. "Meet Miri Regev, Israel's Trump in high heels - Israel News - Haaretz ...." http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.690943. Accessed 14 Sep. 2017.
6. "Israeli minister's Jerusalem dress proves controversial in Cannes ...." 18 May. 2017, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/18/israeli-minister-miri-regev-jerusalem-dress-controversial-cannes. Accessed 14 Sep. 2017.
7. "Miri Regev's Culture War - The New York Times." https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/23/magazine/miri-regevs-culture-war.html. Accessed 14 Sep. 2017.
8. "Foxtrot Review: The Israeli Film Condemned by Israel's Cultural ...." 10 Sep. 2017, https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/09/foxtrot-review. Accessed 14 Sep. 2017.