There are rumors about many of the highest ranking Israeli officials, but I don't have any first hand knowledge, except for something that happened, davka, last night. I was at Kraft Stadium at a football game, American tackle football. Gabi Ashkenazi's, that's the IDF Chief of General Staff, son Itai plays on the same Jerusalem Lion's team as my son. (Yes, only in Israel do things like that happen.) Ashkenazi and his bodyguards were sitting right behind me. We even spoke; he is very polite and cooperated with all the people who asked him to pose for pictures.
At the end of the game, suddenly I felt rough pressure on my shoulder. The big strong, supposedly fit, bodyguards grabbed me as if I was a support bannister as they walked down the high cement bleachers. (No, Ashkenazi didn't do it. Maybe his knees are better than theirs or he's just tougher and doesn't like to show weakness.") There were no "excuse me's" or any recognition that my body wasn't there for their convenience. It was all over within seconds, but it makes me wonder about their attitude towards women. I'm no youngster; I'm frequently the lucky recipient of bus seats, because people want to honor their elders. It doesn't bother me that I look like a grandmother and not a young one.
Katzav isn't the first high-ranking Israeli politician to have serious legal problems, though most of the others have been charged with corruption, Olmert, Hanegbi, Deri etc.
Last night, one of the people we were with mentioned that he was impressed by the fact that the Israeli judicial system convicted Katzav. Maybe Olmert will join him in jail.
5 comments:
Shalom!
Could it be that high-ranking IDF officers, when they're off-duty, are less thuggish than bodyguards?
I do have to admire the Israeli criminal justice system. So many politicians in the US should face criminal charges but almost never do.
Hadassa, army bodyguards aren't the elite. I have to consult with my older son who is a PM Office guard about it. Askenazi was there as a father and makes an effort to get to games. He's a Golani "chevra man," was very nice.
Keli, American relatives also were impressed, saying it would be harder to try American politicians.
Shalom!
I know that bodyguards are not part of the elite. I thought that is why they were thuggish and Ashkenazi wasn't. Is he considered part of the elite?
I doubt if the army bodyguards are considered good jobs. Golani soldiers are more "amcha," if I'm not mistaken. And Ashkenazi is Golani.
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