Resignation with more corruption to follow

This week Yaron Zelicha has announced his resignation. As readers of this blog may have guessed, I am a bit of a fan of his. I support his championing of anti-corruption right up to the point where the fight literally cost his job. He announced his resignation today saying, according to Arutz 7 “I intended to wait until the investigation (of then-Acting Finance Minister Ehud Olmert) was over.

This investigation has finally been handed over to the police to investigate now Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Olmert is currently under 3 separate police investigations; the first is the purchase of a house in Jerusalem, alleged political appointments through the small business unit of the Ministry of trade and industry ,and now this - trying to rig the sale of Bank Leumi whilst he was Finance Minister.

The prime minister who is currently undergoing criminal investigations whilst at 2 former ministerial posts, and 1 currently, whilst Prime Minister (the house purchase). In most countries political leaders are meant to set examples, show leadership, moral standings, but it would seem Israel is exempt from such leaders.


If you read today's Haaretz there is an article about the investigation into the former finance minister Abraham Hirchson.

As some background .."On March 20, 2007, Hirschson was investigated for seven hours by Israeli police regarding an alleged embezzlement at a non-profit organization while serving as the chairman of the National Workers Labour Federation.He suspended himself from May to July while Israeli police investigated him for embezzlement,before resigning on 1 July."

The article in today's paper relates how a researcher in the archives of the case was sorting through all the documents prior to their computerisation, came across an envelope with 576 old Shekels marked for Ovadia Cohen, who was one of the organisations senior executives.

If you remember that the new Israeli Shekel only came into existence in 1985, and the suspicions of which he is being investigated are from the 90s, we can get an idea of the people who are making there way into government even today.

How can we stop this crippling, demoralising, illegal corruption ?
Do we have a new Zelicha-like figure to be able to work on stamping out these crimes ?


There was a joke circulating round about a year ago which is sadly going to need a lot more lines added to it.
I just hope we can find some true leaders of Israel ..

Your comments, as always, appreciated

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If Arik (Sharon) would wake up today….

It is a rainy night and we are at Tel Hashomer Hospital. Only one assistant is around, named Shmiel. He is on night duty tonight in the room of “sleeping” former PM Sharon.

Everybody, but Sharon himself, knows he is no longer the Prime Minister of Israel. Shmiel is sitting peeling an apple and G the Shaba”k agent is nodding off.

Suddenly, all the machines start to beep. The PM is waking up!

Sharon says, “I haven’t slept like that for a long time! Get me [Reuven] Adler, I have some ideas for a new direction.”

Shmiel says, “Good morning, sir. How do you feel?”

Sharon answers, “I am dying of hunger. Where am I?”

The shabak agent continues to sleep while Shmiel explains to Sharon what had happened to him.

Sharon does not take him seriously and says, “So tonight you fooled with the PM, eh Shmiel?”

Shmiel says, “Sorry sir but you are really no longer the PM.”

After a few minutes Sharon asks, “So who replaced me?”

Shmiel answers, “Ehud Olmert.”

Sharon reacts, “Olmert? That Jerusalemite putz? What will happen if war breaks out, he does not know how to run the army! At least Shaul [Mofaz] is still there!”

Shmiel answers, “Mofaz is the Minister of Transportation.”

“So who is the Defence Minister?”

Shmiel says, “Peretz.”

“That old man is still alive?!” asks Sharon in wonderment.

Shmiel whispers trembling, “not Peres, Peretz. Amir Peretz.”

“What? Are you crazy? I close my eyes for a minute and you guys let a labor leader take over the defence of the country?! Not all the factories in Dimona are the same. Does he know that? Listen, get Omri here right away. He will fix everything.”

“Sorry sir, Omri is on his way to jail.”

“Jail?? for that shtus? I do not believe it. So get me my lawyer quickly. Get Klagsbald.”

Shmiel responds, Klagsbald is on his way to jail.”

Sharon calms down and says, “I knew I could count on Klagsbald. he will get Omri out of it.”

Shmiel corrects him and says, “No, sir. Klagsbald is also on his way to jail. He was driving and not paying attention and caused an accident unintentionally running over and killing a young woman and her son.”

Sharon said, “So bring me [Avigdor] Yitzchaki. He always knows how to fix these situations.”

“Sorry, sir. Yitzchaki is under his own investigation for tax fraud. He fixed things too much this time.”

“Can’t be. I know Yitzchaki. They must be framing him. So get me the Head of Police.”

“Sorry, sir, but Karadi is in investigation.”

“Of course he is. He is the head of police. I am sure he is in the middle of a number of investigations!”

“No, sir. Thi s is an investigation against him!”

Sharon takes a deep breath. It can’t be. The whole justice system has been ruined! We must get them out of this. Get me the minister of Internal Security, Tzachi [Hanegbi].”

“Sir, Hanegbi has been indicted for fraud, bribery and job fixing.He is not a minister anymore.”

“So get me the Justice Minister. Who did Olmert appoint?”

“Haim Ramon”

“So get him here!”

“Sorry sir. I can’t. He has been indicted and is on trial for misconduct.”

“What? So get me the president. That is still Katzav, right?”

“sorry sir, but Katzav is under investigation as well, formisconduct and wiretapping.”

“So get me the Chief of Staff, Boogie [Moshe Ayalon]. Sorry I mean Halutz, right?”

” Sir, he got into some trouble in the Lebanon War. Nothing criminal. he sold some stocks. He will soon be giving testimony to an investigative committee.”

“Halutz?? he was a young Piper pilot during the Lebanon War!”

“Sir, that would be the second Lebanon War, while you were sleeping. We… how should I say? lost the war but the PM said we should be patient, victory is coming.”

Sharon looked around his room. “What is your name and what is your position?”

“Shmiel, sir. I am a hospital attendant.”

“Ok, Shmiel. Do not tell anyone about this conversation.”

“You can count on me, sir.”

“I am going back to sleep.”