The Street vs Democracy-- FOLLOW THE MONEY

 

screenshot from Channel 14 News
Last night's antigovernment demonstration

It seems like the whole world has heard that the legally, democratically elected Israeli Government has passed a very necessary law to reform the judiciary, which has set itself up as the alternative government vetoing laws. The judiciary is very political. One law for the Left and another for the Right.

To be perfectly honest and accurate the demonstrations predate the present government's bill for judicial reform. 

For those trying to understand the basic issue here in Israel. Very simple. Judges have put themselves above the parliament and rule according to their opinions and ideologies, rather than laws. They have declared themselves above the law with rights to veto according to their personal feelings aka reasonableness. They can perpetuate their politics by choosing their successors. Basically this has disenfranchised the voters and made a farce out of elections. Yes, the judges and their supporters are the antidemocracy group.

Israel is a parliamentary democracy. We vote for political parties. After most elections, the leader of the party that has received the most votes manages to negotiate a coalition with other parties which has more than half of the 120 Members of Knesset. The Likud has gotten the most votes/seats in most recent elections including the November, 2022 elections, in which he and a few other political parties campaigned as a block promising to form a stable coalition. That's what happened, so therefore according to Israeli law and democracy Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu is the legal Prime Minister of the State of Israel. 

For the past few years, definitely predating those recent elections, there has been a well-funded movement to push Bibi out of his number one position in Likud and out the office of Prime Minister. It's called "ANYONE BUT BIBI." For years when he had previously been PM, including the COVID lockdown, there had been weekly demonstrations near the official prime minister's residence calling for Bibi's ouster. This was hell for the neighbors, since the courts/judges insisted that in their superior wisdom, the demonstrators' rights trumped theirs. And when during the COVID lockdown schools, synagogues and many places of work had been forced to be closed, the judges decided that demonstrations must continue...

There was quiet during the year that Naftali Bennett's government stood, which continued when it fell and Yair Lapid was interim Prime Minister. Since Netanyahu returned to office not only have the demonstrations returned bigger and better equipped than before, but their spokespeople/leaders have become louder and more outrageous. Led by two former disgraced Prime Ministers, Ehud Olmert* and Ehud Barak** we now hear unabashed calls for rebellion and refusal to serve in the IDF. This is treason, no less. They are basically calling on the Israeli public to destroy the country. But the courts are in their favor and find nothing wrong.

These antigovernment demonstrations are very expensive to run. Who's funding them? It's no secret that money is coming from abroad, and some of that money has been traced to the American Government. Administrations led by Democrat Party Presidents do not like working with Netanyahu. Obama couldn't find his famous smile when posing with Bibi.

It's clear that there's something very dirty going on. These demonstrations, riots etc. have nothing to do with wanting democracy for the State of Israel. The leaders are bamboozling their followers with slogans. The street isn't democracy. Let's find out who's really behind this.

FOLLOW THE MONEY

*Olmert had spent time in jail convicted on corruption charges. 

**Barak is known to have been a good friend of disgraced Jeffrey Epstein, besides other problematic relationships

Did Anyone Really Think Bibi Would Admit Guilt?

Just to make it very clear, I don't vote Likud, and I really felt that we needed a change in government. BUT the only moral turpitude I saw was the years long search for a crime to pin on then Prime Minister Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu.

Investigating a Prime Minister, or anyone, just to discover skeletons/crimes as a way to get him out of office is immoral.

In the Friday papers here in Israel there were articles claiming that the "plea deal" with Bibi to admit to some guilt and pledge to leave active politics for a set number of years was almost signed. A few hours ago I had wanted to write an article about the subject, but I couldn't find anything up-to-date. Then just a few minutes ago I did, Netanyahu rejects plea deal with clause that would ban him from politics.

I'm not surprised. I jut don't see much merit/justification in the cases against Netanyahu. I'm more bothered by how he and the chareidi parties had been manipulating the electoral system to stay in power perpetually sans coalition. That's neither democratic nor moral. But it's legal, technically at least. 

In the Jerusalem Post there's an opinion piece trying to guess why Prime Minister Naftali Bennett abstained on a vote about the investigation of Netanyahu, Why did Bennett avoid making a decision on Netanyahu probe? - analysis. I have a different read on Bennett's vote. Maybe he sees what I and others see, that targeted probes/investigations against government officials can be used against anyone when elections don't give the results certain powers want. The anti-Bibi faction failed at the ballots, so they tried a more devious method. Bibi's no Ehud Olmert, so things are far more complicated. 

I'm not going to try to predict what's going to happen. As far as I know, Binyamin Netanyahu isn't the type to cop a plea. He'll fight to the end.

MK Bibi Netanyahu in his previous time as Leader of the Opposition

Finally, Farewell to Tsipi Livni, Failed Politician

It's hard to know where to start when discussing Tsipi Livni, who formally announced her exit from active politics today.

I was lucky to catch the live broadcast and to hear and watch it. And to make it even better was the interview from a few months ago, which they showed right afterwards.

Simply put, it was a rather pathetic end to the career of a woman, who had worked her way up the political ladder and got within millimeters of the premiership of the State of Israel. Livni succeeded Ehud Olmert as head of the then ruling Kadima Party, which they had established after breaking away from the Likud. Both Livni and Olmert had come from Betar-Revisionist homes but moved Leftward politically. When Olmert was forced to resign due to corruption indictments, Livni took over the party.

Under Livni's leadership Kadima received more Knesset seats than Likud in the 2009 elections, but she failed in the task of forming a ruling coalition. Likud's Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu succeeded in forming a coalition and has been Prime Minister ever since. This bit of history is very important in understanding the Israeli political system. It's not enough to have good ideas and policies to be Prime Minister of the State of Israel. You must be an extraordinary politician and be able to negotiate and work with people. And this also explains why the polls keep talking about Left and Right blocs. No Israeli Political Party will get over 50% of the votes, over sixty 60 of the one hundred and twenty 120 Knesset seats. An Israeli Prime Minister must be skilled at juggling while walking a circus tightrope.

Tsipi Livni not only failed in her attempt to form a coalition, the breakup of her later political "marriage" to the Labor party showcased her lack of true political skills. Today Livni's claim that her policies are the right ones, but it's her lack of political power that is stopping her, just shows how little she understands. She has insufficient political power, because not enough people like her, and they don't agree with her policies. It certainly hasn't helped that she's with a different party each election.

It's rather ironic that the extreme Left Meretz party is the only one to have shown up to show support to Livni today. But the truth is that Tsipi Livni has burnt too many bridges in her political career to be missed by ordinary Israelis.

Tsipi Livni's still young. Will she join other failed politicians like Ehud Barak on the international lecture circuit? Will she write her memoirs? No doubt we'll be hearing from her. International Leftist "think tanks" love our rejected and failed "leaders." She won't starve; that's for sure.

Waiting to Hear That USA Won't Interfere in Foreign Elections

Yesterday I heard part of the press briefing by Sarah Sanders. In it she discussed the allegations of foreign interference in American elections, most notably the 2016 presidential elections. Of course she condemned any interference very firmly.

But I was waiting for her to say that she also condemns American interference in foreign elections. Especially during Obama's reign and even before, American officials backed Israel's Left wing parties in an attempt to get the Likud out of office.

That's how Labor led by Ehud Barak won in 1999. They unseated Likud and Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu with the help of American campaign experts. The wording of Barak's slogan about leaving Southern Lebanon was very familiar... And the damage the fleeing from Lebanon did was horrendous.

It took ten years for Netanyahu to return to power, and those ten years were among the most notorious in the History of the State of Israel. Arik Sharon's inexplicable turn Left to Disengagement, which placed Gaza in the firmly in the hands of Hamas terrorists who are at present burning Souther Israel with their incendiary balloons/kites etc, then Ehud Olmert who was tried and convicted for corruption.  Since then, the Israeli public has made it clear that although Netanyahu may not be perfect, they prefer him, head of Likud, as Prime Minister. But that didn't stop Barack Hussein Obama, during his presidency from supporting Bibi's opponents.

According to the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), the State Department gave $349,276 in U.S. taxpayer-funded grants to a political group in Israel to build a campaign operation, which subsequently was used to try to influence Israelis to vote against conservative Benjamin Netanyahu in the March 2015 election for prime minister.
In the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations report about the State Department’s action, Chairman Bob Portman (R-Ohio) said, “It is completely unacceptable that U.S. taxpayer dollars were used to build a political campaign infrastructure that was deployed — immediately after the grant ended — against the leader [Netanyahu] of our closest ally in the Middle East.  American resources should be used to help our allies in the region, not undermine them.” 

Of course, this hand nothing to do with Donald Trump, but it still would have been nice for him to admit that Americans have done the forbidden and he promises that under his leadership it won't happen again.

Disengagement Part 2, Something Unexpected

Here's Part 2 of my Disengagement series. See Opening Old Wounds, Disengagement, Part 1.

Nitzan, Gush Katif Memorial, The "price" of Disengagement

Last Friday, early during my visit with Menachem Begin Heritage Center employees to the Gush Katif Visitors Center in Nitzan, suddenly something hit me. I hadn't thought of it before at all.

I'll never forget how during the horribly tense times before the forced evacuation of Jewish communities and homes actually happened, I corrected those saying that it was a matter of 8,000 (whatever the exact number) families. I kept saying that we had to stop the precedent of Disengagement to protect Jewish life in Judea, Samaria, the Golan and Jordan Valley, even later on the rest of the State of Israel.

It was just too clear to me that a successful sic destruction would whet the appetite of those who were against Jewish life/communities in all of these places to destroy even more. And in the first flush of Disengagement, during the rule of Ehud Olmert, if I remember correctly, there was an announcement that the new maps had been drawn, and lists of the next communities to go...

Yes, I remember a government official/minister on television, looking drunk with the power of life & death happily announcing that more of the Land of Israel would be judenrein very shortly. And that included Shiloh, which then was considered small, unimportant and isolated.

But here we are over a decade later thriving. Gush Shiloh has grown enormously, as have most other Jewish towns, communities and cities in Judea/Samaria.

Despite the precision/efficiency of the army in dragging people from their homes, packing their possessions and bulldozing the houses, schools and more, the country was ripped apart and in pain by the sight of IDF solders crying and obviously traumatized by their cruel orders.

The government had put more effort into planning the destruction of Gush Katif and the Northern Shomron yishuvim included in Disengagement, than in the "day after." There were prefabricated homes set up for only a small fraction of the families. Others were crowded into small hotel rooms and rented apartments. And don't forget that the Arab terrorists in Gaza reacted to the proclamation of Disengagement, the destruction of Gush Katif by launching rockets at Israel's south. This had been going on from before the actual destruction.

Over time, as the victims of Disengagement, slowly and painfully tried to rebuild their lives, talk of destroying mine and my neighbors got softer and softer. The true price of Disengagement was/is a lot higher than the State of Israel had ever imagined it could be.

Some of the Left still pays lip service to the idea that our communities can be easily destroyed for a "peace sic agreement," but as second and even third generation Jews in Judea/Samaria build homes here reality mocks their plans.

It becomes clearer every day that Disengagement was a cruel, evil mistake. It certainly didn't bring peace, and it may have kept Arik Sharon out of "jail." But Gd then took away his power in a stroke to remind us all Who's really in charge. Davka, the ramifications in terms of Jewish life in Judea and Samaria are something else. Disengagement showed the State of Israel that we aren't chess pieces that can be easily manipulated.

My biggest complaint about the "message" from the Gush Katif Visitors Center is that when they listed communities where people moved to, they leave out the Netzarim group in Ariel and all of the many in various yishuvim of Judea/Samaria. That inaccuracy makes it very clear that the leadership didn't and don't see us all as one group with the same needs, but that would be another blog post, not as upbeat. 

Olmert, Served Enough or Long Way to Go?

Ehud Olmert is/was among Israel's most charming politicians. Not only did Olmert do all the usual public acts that an intelligent and ambitious politician does, but he'd find time to visit people in the hospital and not with a camera crew in tow. He'd also speak with sincere interest to much lower-ranking workers remembering what they had said previously. When the laws changed and he had to choose between being an MK or Mayor of Jerusalem, he chose Jerusalem. And then he had personal letters sent to every single worker in the Knesset, including the cleaning crew.

That's a reason why his corruption charges and guilty verdict was so tragic. Olmert had the capability to be one of Israel's greatest leaders, but then it was discovered that the other side of him, not only the extreme Leftist ideology which surprised/shocked/horrified many, but the fact that apparently he's one of the most corrupt politicians in the History of the State of Israel.

I'm not the only one to consider his "punishment" much too short. What's twenty-seven 27 months when those awful projects he approved will last for decades if not longer? And then he davka got early release which reduces his prison time to only sixteen 16 months.

In prison, Olmert was in a "luxury wing" with other high-ranking white collar prisoners. Considering his charm, he should have been in isolation. That would have been a real punishment for Ehud Olmert!

So, now the Israeli media is discussing whether he's paid his debt to society, as the saying goes, or not. I don't think he did, since he hasn't admitted guilt nor shown suitable remorse at all. Isn't that why they're keeping Katzav in jail?

Jerusalem Post-Ehud Olmert

Only the Likud Can... רק הליכוד יכול

רק הליכוד יכול

Rak HaLikud Yachol

Only the Likud Can

PERSONAL SECURITY
TRUE PEACE
FREE ENTERPRISE/MARKET
Only The Likud Can
Nationalist Camp
Jabotinsky Institute

Even when the Likud campaign staff came up with that catchy tune and phrase the unintended negative implications of the words resounded to us pragmatic cynics still reeling from Menachem Begin's surprise Sinai withdrawal, destruction of Yamit and numerous smaller communities. Davka, he the supposed extreme Right wing politician, had crossed every red line the Labor Party never dared to contemplate.

Don't forget that Arik Sharon was the Likud's Prime Minister when he announced the horrendous Disengagement Plan that unilaterally destroyed more Jewish communities and gave their Land to the Hamas Arab terrorists in Gaza.

Amona's 2006 house destruction and traumatizing police violence was  while Ehud Olmert ruled Israel in the name of the then comatose Arik Sharon. At that specific time, they called themselves the Kadima Party, but both had reached power as members of the Likud.

And here we are, deja vu, again with pastoral Amona in the sites of the Leftist Israeli Supreme Court. This time, they are out to destroy it. Families have been forced out of the homes they've lived in for years, schools and businesses shut by the government.

Netanyahu as Prime Minister and Ayelet Shaked (Jewish Home) as Minister of Justice haven't broken the hold of the Israeli Courts, which although they aren't elected by the people, somehow have been given the right, legal status that allows them to override the laws created by our elected officials, Members of the Knesset. To me this is not a true democracy, and it's immoral.

Arutz 7

At least Bibi had the decency to instruct the police to leave the horses and "special units" in their stables.

i24news

Olmert off to Jail- No Remorse

There was a time when I was very impressed by Israeli politician Ehud Olmert. At that point he was still well to the Right on the Israeli political spectrum and was doing what seemed to be an excellent job as Mayor of Jerusalem. In addition to his legendary hard work, he was known as friendly and caring to the more lowly workers. There are many stories of how he made of point of knowing everyone and asking about their families and visiting the sick and more. I remember very happily predicting to some overseas visitors:

"Ehud Olmert will be Prime Minister one day. Unlike most politicians, he knows how to get things done and administer. Olmert does more than just talk."

OK, I was mostly right, but never in a million years would I have predicted that he'd veer so terribly Left and end up not only spearheading the dastardly Disengagement but then be charged and convicted for corruption.

From Biblical times until today and no doubt the future, too, there have always been leaders with their hands caught in the till or in somebody's pants... Their reactions are the way we end up judging them for posterity. The Biblical King David admitted his crime and fully repented, saying he "sinned before Gd" and was not only forgiven but has always been held up as an example for good.

On the other hand of this spectrum, we now have Ehud Olmert who refuses to admit to any guilt at all.  So repentance isn't on his menu. That makes him even worse than the Biblical King Saul.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Monday began a 19-month prison sentence for bribery and obstruction of justice, defiantly proclaiming his innocence in a farewell video as he became the first Israeli premier to be placed behind bars...."You can imagine how this change is painful and strange for me, for my family, my loved ones and supporters," he said. "It is important for me to say again, as I said inside the court and outside it, that I absolutely reject outright all the corruption allegations against me." (AP Yahoo News)

That is a bad precedent and makes him a dangerous role model.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert enters prison to begin his sentence, in the central Israeli town of Ramle, Israel, Monday, Feb. 15, 2016. Israel’s former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert started serving a 19-month prison sentence for bribery and obstruction of justice on Monday, becoming the first Israeli premier to be imprisoned and capping a years-long legal saga that forced him to resign in 2006 amid the last serious round of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Olmert Convicted!

Former Prime Minister and Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert has been facing multiple corruption charges for years. It was because of these charges that he had to resign from being Prime Minister of Israel.

At this point, there aren't too many people, other than him and his lawyers who can keep up with all the cases. I admit that I've lost track and was surprised a few minutes ago when I saw headlines saying that he was convicted.

Reuters

Ex-PM Ehud Olmert found guilty in bribery retrialFormer Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, already facing a six-year prison term after a corruption conviction, was found guilty on Monday in a separate case of accepting illegal payments from U.S. businessman Morris Talansky....On Monday, the judges ruled that Olmert had accepted $153,950 from Talansky when he was a cabinet minister, with the money kept hidden by an Olmert aide in a safe. The judges concluded that Olmert gave Zaken part of that money in exchange for her loyalty, and used the money for his own personal use without reporting it, as required by law, and in exchange for favors to Talansky, calling it a "serious conflict of interest." They convicted him on charges of fraud and breach of trust. (Israel Hayom)

I hope that these convictions dissuade others from corruption.

Israeli 5775, 2015 Election News

According to the polls and pundits, Tsipi Livni will probably have an encore, repeat of previous election results. She'll be part of the top vote-getting party, but will be left out of the ruling coalition.

According to the poll, the Herzog-Livni list would receive 23 mandates, while the Likud would receive 21 mandates.
Nafatli Bennett's Bayit Yehudi would come in with the third most votes, according to the survey, with 16 mandates.
Yair Lapid's party, which had fallen to single digits in a number of recent polls, appears to have recovered some voters, with poll respondents giving the centrist party 11 mandates.
Newly-minted party Kulanu, under the leadership of former Likud minister Moshe Kahlon, would receive 9 mandates, the poll found. (Jerusalem Post)

Arutz 7 tells more:

The daily deluge of polls for the March 17 Knesset elections continue on Tuesday, with a Channel 10 poll showing the joint Labor-Hatnua list and Likud still neck and neck, with Labor just slightly ahead.
The poll gives Labor 22 mandates and Likud 21. Jewish Home would get 17, and Yesh Atid gets ten mandates according to the findings.
Former Likud minister Moshe Kahlon's new Kulanu party and Yisrael Beytenu each get nine seats, and the hareidi United Torah Judaism would get seven.
Radical leftist Meretz and the United Arab List each get six, while the Arab communist Hadash party would get five. The results may be rendered not relevant as United Arab List, Hadash together with Balad are apparently in the final stages of forming a joint Arab list...
In the same poll, respondents were asked who is most fitting for the role of prime minister.
Current Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was preferred by 38%, whereas Labor head Yitzhak Herzog was preferred by 32%.
In terms of who would best deal with the security threats on Israel, 30% said Netanyahu would be most appropriate, whereas 22% preferred Yisrael Beytenu head Avigdor Liberman and 21% chose Herzog.

That so famously happened when Tsipi led Kadima. The Israeli political system provides a "test" for potential Prime Ministers in that they must prove their leadership savvy and skills by successfully crafting and negotiating a coalition of partners. This may be confusing for people new to Israel, because winning the most votes or Knesset seats isn't the end of the electoral process here. It's just the beginning.

The Israeli media is very Leftist and goes all out, all the time, to promote Left wing policies and politicians. That's how they do well in Knesset Elections, but when it comes to forming a government, their leaders fail.  The Israeli public is far to the Right of the media, and since Right wing politicians have to work much harder to get elected, they develop more political skills than the princes on the Left.

In recent years, the two most skillful politicians have been Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu and Ehud Olmert, who honed in his talents when on the Right of the political spectrum. Olmert has since been proven crooked as well as talented, and that leaves Bibi to lead the field. The Herzog-Livni team hasn't much of a chance to head the Israeli Government.

"Maybe He'll be Prime Minister," No Longer a Blessing

The other day while riding Jerusalem Lightrail, there was a bored, angry toddler in his stroller next to me. His mother kept trying to prevent him from kicking me, but at one point she wasn't paying attention and he kicked my bag. I didn't have patience for that sort of behavior knowing how quickly it could escalate, so I asked her to have him face a different direction. She was understanding and moved him.

That would have had been the end of the story, and certainly not anything worth blogging about if an older woman (actually older than me) who was sitting across from us hadn't interfered.

"He's so cute. So what's the beg deal if he kicks you. It won't actually do you any harm."
"When you allow toddlers like this to kick and hit big people, they'll just learn to kick and hit younger ones, too." I replied.
"Oh, no, I used to teach little sweeties like him, and there's nothing wrong with what he did.  He may even grow up to be Prime Minister."
"Like Olmert?" I just couldn't resist saying. "Nowadays saying he'll be Prime Minister is no compliment."

She looked at me blankly, while the man sitting next to her almost lost his battle to keep in the laughter.

Actually, it's very sad that we can't count on anyone in any position to be perfectly honest, free from crime and cheating.  It seems like the "high places/positions" are full of people who aren't living according to law. The expression "above the law" seems to be their creed.

Sadly various forms of "cheating" exist in all levels of society as Ruthie Blum wrote in today's article in Israel Hayom.

But the effect this is having on average Joes indicates that it is going to take a lot more than a judge's outrage to eliminate illegal wheeling and dealing, which extends way beyond -- or rather far beneath -- high society.This week alone, I have witnessed three instances of cognitive dissonance in relation to Olmert that could keep the country's psychiatrists in clover for decades.On Tuesday, a taxi driver suggested not turning on the meter so he could fix the price. I refused. He was annoyed. But our conversation quickly turned to Olmert."Good for the judge," he said. "Enough with all these crooked politicians." (read the complete article)

For idealists like ourselves it hurts. I'll never forget how when many years ago for a school-recommended IQ Test for my older daughters, during the "parent background interview" the educational psychologist asked me if they each had a strong "sense of justice." I answered in the affirmative which wouldn't surprise anyone who knows them today.  That's how I was raised and how I raised my children, all of them.

I'm glad that there are some strong moral judges on the bench like Tel Aviv District Court Judge David Rozen who sentences Olmert, and I pray that the sentence will stand, that Olmert's lawyers won't succeed in their appeals.

If we are to improve Israeli society and values it must start from the top. I'm encouraged also by the recent nonacceptance of adultery of Israeli leaders. So far, most of the men targeted by the media's equivalent of the "first wives club" have been from the Right, but G-d willing, things will equalize as the issue gets more popular.

This week's Torah Portion is Bechukotai, In My Laws...
From Rabbi Yehuda Appel on Aish.com:

This week's Torah portion, Bechukotai, deals with the tremendous responsibilities given to the Jewish people. Just as each individual has a task to improve the world, so too the Jewish people have that role.
In the parsha, God addresses the Jewish people collectively, informing them of the severity of judgements - ranging from illness to exile - that they will face if they do not follow His path. The harshness of these afflictions can be seen as a direct correlation to the importance of the Jewish people's mission. As the nation who has been entrusted with God's instructions for creating a perfect society, the Jewish people are held to a higher standard.
On the other hand, at the beginning of the parsha, God promises the Jewish people that "if you walk in My laws and guard My commandments," you will be blessed with great peace and wealth. As much potential as there is for tragedy, great blessing can also be theirs.

Davka... yes, this week...

Shabbat Shalom u'Mevorach

May You have a Peaceful and Blessed Shabbat

Taking Bets? Will Olmert Sit in Jail or Not?

By now everyone must have heard the news.

Court sentences Olmert to 6 years in prison; first Israeli PM ever to go behind bars

...as the headline reported in the Jerusalem Post.

Photo AFP

But he's only supposed to start serving his sentence on September 1st to give him time for appeals. And also to give the prison authorities time to figure out how to suitably imprison a former Prime Minister...

Tel Aviv District Court Judge David Rozen on Tuesday sentenced former prime minister Ehud Olmert to six years of prison time on conviction for two counts of bribery in the Holyland trial......The judge also delayed the arrest and imprisonment of all of the Holyland defendants, including Olmert until September 1.Rozen also imposed a fine of NIS 1 million while also ordering authorities to seize NIS 500,000 in funds accumulated by the former premier.
Referring to Olmert and the other defendants, the court said that "one who takes bribes is in the category of being a traitor - a person who embezzles and who betrays the faith invested in him, faith that without which, no proper public service could exist."

I really wonder if he'll really sit in jail. I have my doubts. I can imagine a creative sort of punishment which would forbid him to travel abroad but wouldn't restrict him in any other way.

Ehud Olmert is a very charming and personable man. If he does end up in jail, he will be the "model prisoner" and make lots of friends and followers.

I'm not sad that he, Ehud Olmert, former Prime Minister of the State of Israel has been convicted and sentenced to jail-time, because it is important to show ourselves and the world that nobody is above the law. And I hope I'm wrong about the actual punishment. I truly hope that he serves real time, just for principle of it.

Many of my friends are glad that Olmert is being punished as a criminal, because he is blamed for Disengagement, even though Ariel Sharon was the Prime Minister at the time. There is this widespread feeling that he deserves to suffer in This World for all that he did, the brutality used against Jews in Amona.

Hundreds of activists were injured - some seriously - as police forces violently stormed the hilltop community of Amona, bashed protestors and MKs, and demolished nine homes...One injured protestor said, "We were standing in the front line, with no intention of using violence or anything, and all of a sudden the police just rained down on us with horses and clubs...

If you were to bet on Olmert being jailed or not, what's your guess and why? Please reply in the comments, thanks.

Truth and Consequences in Israel, Olmert, Abbas and the Extreme Left

Off with the Teflon!!

I'm a CPA's daughter, and I consider myself a simple pragmatist. I don't see myself as an unrealistic dreamer. It can be dangerous to let ideologies dominate reality. We must look carefully at what's happening. Caroline Glick got it right again when writing about the P.A. Abbas and his alliance with the terrorists in Hamas.  Time for consequences

Two weeks ago, Abbas signed on to 15 international agreements that among other things require the PA to respect human rights and punish war criminals.

And this week, he signed a unity deal with two genocidal terror groups all of whose leaders are war criminals. Every leader of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the two parties that signed the deal with the PLO, are war criminals. Under the Geneva Conventions, which Abbas signed onto just a couple of weeks ago, he is required to put them on trial, for their war crimes.

Here it is worth noting that under the Geneva Conventions, every single rocket launch from Gaza into Israeli territory is a separate war crime.

Abbas was only able to sign the Geneva Conventions on the one hand, and the unity deal with terrorist war criminals on the other, because he is utterly convinced that neither the US nor the European Union will hold him accountable for his actions. He is completely certain that neither the Americans nor the Europeans are serious about their professed commitments to upholding international law.

Abbas is sure that for both the Obama administration and the EU, maintaining support for the PLO far outweighs any concern they have for abiding by the law of nations. He believes this because he has watched them make excuses for the PLO and its leaders for the past two decades.

When it comes to the Palestinians, the Western powers are always perfectly willing to throw out their allegiance to law – international law and their domestic statutes – to continue supporting the PLO in the name of a peace process, which by now, everyone understands is entirely fictional. (continue)

In actuality the situation should be very easy to understand.  Only the Israeli Left refuses to do so. There are even some extreme Leftist MK's who are so blind to the truth that they insist of paying homage to Abbas in Ramalla.

A delegation of 14 Knesset members will meet in Ramallah with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday amid calls to cancel the visit due to the recent spate of terrorist attacks in the West Bank.
The delegation consists of lawmakers from Labor, Meretz, Hatnua, and Shas.

I consider it treason. They should be arrested and stripped of their office and financial benefits, government salary, pensions etc.  There must be consequences to such anti-Israel actions.

According to Israel's Chanel 2 via Arutz 7, Ehud Olmert may actually be imprisoned for his crimes. It's rumored that the prosecution will request a five year sentence.

There should be one law for all, and everyone must pay for their crimes. That is true equality!!

Olmert Convicted, Teflon Finally Off

Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has finally been convicted of corruption. Olmert, a brilliant politician and master at manipulation and charm had seemed too clever to catch for a very long time.

With a thundering ruling that will shake the country, Judge David Rozen also convicted former Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski, former Bank Hapoalim Chairman Dan Dankner, Olmert's former chief-of-staff Shula Zaken and, in total, 10 out of 13 individual defendants (3 defendants are corporations.)

...In the Holyland trial,  Olmert was accused of accepting over NIS 1.5 million in bribes (out of around NIS 9 million given to public officials in total), either directly or through Zaken or his brother Yossi to smooth over various legal and zoning obstacles. The allegations relate to the 1993-mid 2000s period while Olmert was mayor of Jerusalem and Minister of Infrastructure, Trade and Industry. (Jerusalem Post)

The Pied Piper of Israeli politics took along a lot of people with him.

Ehud Olmert's conviction was a surprise, and that's not because the Israeli public didn't suspect that the charges were true. It was a surprise, because he earned the loyalty and support of his staff by his hard work, friendliness and those "small touches," which could be found in American "how to succeed" books. I know this from people who have worked with him over the years. When he was Mayor of Jerusalem, he made a point of speaking to the municipal employees and giving them the impressionism that he cared about them and their jobs. He worked late hours, not just delegating and showing up for photo-ops.

When the law changed, and he couldn't simultaneously serve as MK and Mayor, he had his staff write thank-you notes to all Knesset employees from librarians to toilet cleaners. He was always available to the various staff people, even when Prime Minister and then forced to resign due to the corruption charges, to pose for pictures with them. Even during this long trying trial, he was amazingly friendly and interested in the lives of those assigned to his detail. As former Prime Minister, the government still provided him with a staff.

For those who couldn't understand why it took his long-time secretary, Shula Zakin, so long to agree to testify against Olmert, you have to understand how this behavior to others created strong loyalty.  It wasn't until Zakin finally realized that Olmert was not returning this loyalty that she made her deal with the prosecution. No doubt that if she had done it in the earlier stages of the investigation, she would have gotten a much lighter sentence.

In the political world à la Olmert, people took for granted that his way was the way it was done, and that's how so many are involved and convicted. No doubt there should be more.

Back In The News: Ehud Olmert

Yes, Israel's disgraced Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert is back in the news.  Mr. Teflon has been caught, indicted for multiple fraud and corruption.  Basically, all the international news articles say the same thing.

I must admit that I was one of the many who used to respect him and anxiously awaited his term as Prime Minister.  Yes, that was when he was Mayor of Jerusalem and touting Jewish Rights to the Land of Israel.  That's when we saw him as a proud Israeli of Betar Revisionist background and ideology.

Foolishly I had no doubts that he'd be the Prime Minister the country truly needed, and still needs.

Olmert conned us, tricked us.  All the while he spoke as a patriot, he had already adopted his wife's rabid, extreme, loony Left policies.  He was a "sleeper," just waiting for his chance to reveal his true self.

In the end, OK we're not yet finished or even started with the trial.  Ironically, it wasn't his Left wing policies, Disengagement and badly run wars which brought him down.  It was the selfish, addictive corruption which snared Olmert.

Now, it's up to Israel's Judicial to make Ehud Olmert pay for his crimes in this world, Olam HaZeh, while the True Judge, G-d will work out his account in Olam HaBa, the World to Come.

No surprise that this has happened in the Jewish Month of Elul, the month we're supposed to reflect and repent, do Tshuva.

The Miraculously Convenient Cancer

Ehud Olmert, Israel's former Prime Minister, is an energetic, athletic and seemingly healthy man of advanced middle-age. He suffers from a microscopic prostate cancer. At least that's what his doctors and lawyers say.

When he first announced it, his single-digit support ratings actually improved. The Israeli public seemed rather relieved that maybe he'd resign for health, rather than corruption convictions.

Then suddenly, no news about the cancer, which seemed to go into a remission of sorts.

For some very peculiar reason, his cancer comes into play only when his legal problems get serious, like now. Suddenly, he needs to travel to specialists just when the police get closer to finally indicting him.

As soon as the hearing's postponed, he's healthy enough to travel abroad.

Doesn't it make you wonder?

Is is psychosomatic or some new legal-political-physiological syndrome...

"...just a "step" away..." Ehud Olmert

It had seemed, ten or more years ago, that Ehud Olmert was "just a "step" away" from greatness.

What a waste of potential.
What a waste of intelligence.
What a waste of human resources, human lives during Olmert's reign as Prime Minister.

I remember telling a visitor from abroad when Olmert was still Mayor of Jerusalem:

"Olmert will be Prime Minister. He's the best administrator in Israeli politics."

I was right about both things. The only two things I didn't know were:

1. Ehud Olmert was/is corrupt.
2. Ehud Olmert would transform himself into Left wing Peace Now fan.

I'll never forget, about ten months after Olmert became Prime Minister, someone said to me:

"There should be elections soon. Olmert has been in office so long. Isn't it time?"

"It would be nice if there were elections, but actually, he has been Prime Minister for less than a year."

"Couldn't be. It feels much longer than that."

Consider that we have had our two least successful wars during Olmert's reign, and the coverage of his corruption charges make the Israeli media "read" like a a cheap sensationalist tabloid.

Caroline Glick considers Olmert "the worst prime minister Israel has experienced to date." I disagree. The other Ehud, Ehud Barak was even worse, and unfortunately, Barak is back. It took the Israeli public less time to get rid of Barak and his reign of terror. Arab terrorists were attacking civilians all over the country. But Caroline is right in that Israelis have a rediculously, dangerously short memory.

Because of Olmert's Revisionist Betar background, the Israeli establishment never warmed to him, no matter how anti-settlement and pro-"peace at any price" he became. For that reason, he may find the gate blocked if he tries to return.

Contrary to Olmert's statements, he wasn't "...just a "step" away..." from peace, but if he had remained true to his original pro-Land of Israel for the People of Israel, Betar ideology, and if he hadn't been corrupt, he would have had a chance to be our greatest leader.

Jerusalem ReBuilt? Yerushalayim HaBinuya

Life in a construction site is no picnic, even if the workers seem to be picnicking too much of the day.

Will Olmert's "lightrail" ever be completed?

I try to be a careful pedestrian, but sometimes I'm forced to walk in the street. The pedestrian path here from Ramat Eshkol to the American Consulate suddenly ended without any warning.

I love this juxtaposition between the future and present.

Will we ever enjoy any convenience from Olmert's lightrail?

Olmert Plays "Hot Potato"

The Israeli Government and media have been toying with the Shalit family ever since their son Gilad was captured by our Arab enemies. Treppenwitz describes the present situation very eloquently.

I'm sure that everyone who saw or heard Ehud Omert's "We have red lines" speech last night was amazed. Some, because they were certain that a deal had been reached and Gilad would be returned home, and others, because Olmert's a pro at moving and deleting red lines at his convenience. Why dafka now has he discovered an immovable red line?

As the wife and mother of Israeli soldiers, and having been injured in an Arab terror attack, I've always known the there are no guarantees that we'll all live "happily ever after." Actually, no society can ever guarantee such a thing. There are always illnesses and accidents even in the most peaceful of countries.

Two crucial and tragic mistakes in Israeli policy are its benevolent attitude towards the Arab terrorists in our own jails and the naked desperation offering anything and anyone in exchange for our soldiers. This results in that the Arab price keeps going up, and innocent Israeli soldiers like Gilad Shalit are left captive in enemy hands.

Olmert's a great actor. If you didn't know his background, all of the corruption charges against him, his one-hundred and eighty degree turn from his Right wing Betar-Revisionist background to extreme Left, you'd think the man really was principled. It was a great performance, a great speech.

Sadly, the media had prepared the Shalit family for something else. They had expected Israel to pay any price asked for Gilad.

Now, unless there's some great surprise, the "hot potato" will be passed to Bibi Netanyahu. I hope and pray that he'll play "hardball" with the Arabs. That's the only way to bring Gilad home, and it's the only way to get us closer to true peace.

No more Mr. Nice Guy...

That's what I'd like to see, but I doubt if Bibi has the guts.

The Will Of The People

The media keeps telling us that because Kadima got a few more votes, equalling one more Knesset seat than the Likud, it means that the people chose Tsippi Livni to be the next Prime Minister of Israel.

The Israeli political system is not all that simplistic. We have neither a two nor a three party "situation." These big "winners," in Kadima got less than 25% of the popular vote!

That is the truth. There are one-hundred and twenty, yes 120, Knesset seats, so you need thirty to have one quarter of the Knesset. And a majority, more than half, means a coaliton of more than sixty. Whether 27 or 28, that means that the "ruling party" will be less than half of the coalition.

I'll start a new paragraph to give you time to digest it.

The Israeli media is working overtime to promote little (she's tall in body, but obviously short in leadership qualities) Tsippi. It's rather pathetic how hard the media has to struggle to make her seem like Prime Minister material.

Bibi is more intelligent and has more grass-roots support, but he hasn't shown true leadership. His disgusting manouver to change the Likud primary results made him look like a mean cheat, not a true worthy leader.

So, we're stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea.

I find this Jerusalem Post survey very revealing. Of course, the participating public was readers of the Jerusalem Post.

Forming a new government won't be easy for either party, and if they manage something, it will be so top heavy and expensive with every MK and his/her mother as a Minister or Assistant Minister, "Volvos & driver plus."

And if a government isn't formed, then we're stuck with Olmert for even longer, and we'll need new elections, which may have even less clear results.

I've been taking a course in Matan about our ancient prophets, and it's horrifying to see the paralells today, thousands of years later. Hashem Ya'azor, G-d, please help us.