"And it came to pass in the days of the judging of the judges..." (Ruth 1:1)
I?m writing a book. So, I?m sifting through boxes of old newspaper articles, photos, bumper stickers, political cartoons, posters, letters, flyers, agendas and other materials that were a part of the last decade of anti-Oslo activity. My kids claim that my office resembles Mel Gibson?s apartment from the 1997 film Conspiracy Theory. They say that I?m beginning to sound like him, too. Should I be worried?
In 1992, I illustrated the first of what was to become scores of satirical posters protesting the resurrection of one of the most revolting and dangerous despots the modern world has known. The cartoon needed no caption and depicted former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin schlepping an enormous money bag to a down-and-out beggar, Yassir Arafat, who had more than one foot in the grave. A few weeks later, I drew my favorite pre-Oslo caricature and rendered it in a Rube Goldberg-like assembly line style: George Bush (Sr.) is waving ten billion dollars in loan guarantees, followed by James Baker, who is bending over and pointing to his behind. Yitzhak Rabin leans over to kiss Baker?s rear and a fully armed Yassir Arafat stands at the end of the line, poised to give Rabin a swift kick with his combat boots.
Now, you may find it to be in poor taste for me to revive provocative posters in this post-assassination era. And to do so before the elections - why, it?s almost obscene. But then again, the truth about the mess we?re in must be really base, because nobody wants to look at it or listen to it.
So why was I not surprised as I watched the following current newsworthy and captivating items make a brief appearance and then be gradually relegated to the back pages?
Yossi Ginossar, a former Shin Bet official who served as a personal envoy of prime ministers Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres, Ehud Barak and Ariel Sharon, was reportedly involved in the illegal transfer of 300 million dollars to Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat's private accounts. Ginossar allegedly received over 10 million dollars for his services.
The trial of GSS (General Security Service Shin/Bet) agent-provocateur Avishai Raviv has resumed. He faces charges for not taking action to prevent the assassination of prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, despite having advance knowledge of the intentions of convicted assassin Yigal Amir.
These are the kinds of legitimately juicy stories that should keep any press in a free society salivating and digging for months. These are also the kind of headline-grabbers that could and should sell lots of papers to a concerned public. So why the silent treatment?
Well, it seems that Ginnosar and the GSS have nothing to fear, because if anyone dares to raise the flag of justice on these items, it will lead straight to Peres and Beilin and throw even more dirt on a revered former prime minister who is already six feet under. Nope, the press isn?t going to sabotage any chances the Left has in this election by exposing any significant Labor party-related scandals. But,
they do have an agenda to fill and they?re just bursting to do their dirty work . The Likud is fair game and ripe for scandal. But somehow I doubt that any alleged Likud central committee payoffs will add up to even a small percentage of the many millions of dollars in dirty deals that the Labor party and her clandestine associates have cut. I should note here that this week the Attorney-General has ordered the police to investigate irregularities in the Labor Party primaries (don?t hold your breath waiting for the media to track this story, though).
I also have no doubt that the infringements that the media will most certainly discover and expose on the part of the right-wing parties will, in the long run, prove to be insignificant when compared with the damaging repercussions caused by the Labor leadership-sanctioned actions of Ginossar and Raviv, both former employees of the GSS.
Now, don¹t get me wrong, as I?m not implying that there was any conspiracy, per se, on the part of the Labor-led government and the General Security Services. However, the leadership of these organizations, supported by an enthusiastically subjective media, have contributed more than their share to the serious erosion and breakdown of justice, democratic process, and national and personal security that we are witnessing in Israel today. This has been due to their gross negligence, arrogance, greed, abuse of power, and misuse of government, security and public service agencies and institutions.
Being a leader of a free and democratic society is a privilege that must be earned and should be reserved for those willing to act responsibly and accept accountability for their actions. The right to be a citizen of a democratic nation also comes with a price. We have to ensure that those entrusted to govern us fulfill their commitments, and if they don?t, we have an obligation to effect change. That means that we must be aware and willing to listen to, see and pursue the truth - even if it hurts.
Personal rights and freedoms are a gift. If we abuse them, we may lose them. This is especially true in Israel, where ?G-d?s eyes are upon the Land...? (Deuteronomy 11:12)
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Ellen Horowitz, a painter and writer, lives on the Golan Heights with her husband and six children. She can be reached at ilan-acu@netvision.net.il.
I?m writing a book. So, I?m sifting through boxes of old newspaper articles, photos, bumper stickers, political cartoons, posters, letters, flyers, agendas and other materials that were a part of the last decade of anti-Oslo activity. My kids claim that my office resembles Mel Gibson?s apartment from the 1997 film Conspiracy Theory. They say that I?m beginning to sound like him, too. Should I be worried?
In 1992, I illustrated the first of what was to become scores of satirical posters protesting the resurrection of one of the most revolting and dangerous despots the modern world has known. The cartoon needed no caption and depicted former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin schlepping an enormous money bag to a down-and-out beggar, Yassir Arafat, who had more than one foot in the grave. A few weeks later, I drew my favorite pre-Oslo caricature and rendered it in a Rube Goldberg-like assembly line style: George Bush (Sr.) is waving ten billion dollars in loan guarantees, followed by James Baker, who is bending over and pointing to his behind. Yitzhak Rabin leans over to kiss Baker?s rear and a fully armed Yassir Arafat stands at the end of the line, poised to give Rabin a swift kick with his combat boots.
Now, you may find it to be in poor taste for me to revive provocative posters in this post-assassination era. And to do so before the elections - why, it?s almost obscene. But then again, the truth about the mess we?re in must be really base, because nobody wants to look at it or listen to it.
So why was I not surprised as I watched the following current newsworthy and captivating items make a brief appearance and then be gradually relegated to the back pages?
Yossi Ginossar, a former Shin Bet official who served as a personal envoy of prime ministers Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres, Ehud Barak and Ariel Sharon, was reportedly involved in the illegal transfer of 300 million dollars to Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat's private accounts. Ginossar allegedly received over 10 million dollars for his services.
The trial of GSS (General Security Service Shin/Bet) agent-provocateur Avishai Raviv has resumed. He faces charges for not taking action to prevent the assassination of prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, despite having advance knowledge of the intentions of convicted assassin Yigal Amir.
These are the kinds of legitimately juicy stories that should keep any press in a free society salivating and digging for months. These are also the kind of headline-grabbers that could and should sell lots of papers to a concerned public. So why the silent treatment?
Well, it seems that Ginnosar and the GSS have nothing to fear, because if anyone dares to raise the flag of justice on these items, it will lead straight to Peres and Beilin and throw even more dirt on a revered former prime minister who is already six feet under. Nope, the press isn?t going to sabotage any chances the Left has in this election by exposing any significant Labor party-related scandals. But,
they do have an agenda to fill and they?re just bursting to do their dirty work . The Likud is fair game and ripe for scandal. But somehow I doubt that any alleged Likud central committee payoffs will add up to even a small percentage of the many millions of dollars in dirty deals that the Labor party and her clandestine associates have cut. I should note here that this week the Attorney-General has ordered the police to investigate irregularities in the Labor Party primaries (don?t hold your breath waiting for the media to track this story, though).
I also have no doubt that the infringements that the media will most certainly discover and expose on the part of the right-wing parties will, in the long run, prove to be insignificant when compared with the damaging repercussions caused by the Labor leadership-sanctioned actions of Ginossar and Raviv, both former employees of the GSS.
Now, don¹t get me wrong, as I?m not implying that there was any conspiracy, per se, on the part of the Labor-led government and the General Security Services. However, the leadership of these organizations, supported by an enthusiastically subjective media, have contributed more than their share to the serious erosion and breakdown of justice, democratic process, and national and personal security that we are witnessing in Israel today. This has been due to their gross negligence, arrogance, greed, abuse of power, and misuse of government, security and public service agencies and institutions.
Being a leader of a free and democratic society is a privilege that must be earned and should be reserved for those willing to act responsibly and accept accountability for their actions. The right to be a citizen of a democratic nation also comes with a price. We have to ensure that those entrusted to govern us fulfill their commitments, and if they don?t, we have an obligation to effect change. That means that we must be aware and willing to listen to, see and pursue the truth - even if it hurts.
Personal rights and freedoms are a gift. If we abuse them, we may lose them. This is especially true in Israel, where ?G-d?s eyes are upon the Land...? (Deuteronomy 11:12)
--------------------------------------------------------
Ellen Horowitz, a painter and writer, lives on the Golan Heights with her husband and six children. She can be reached at ilan-acu@netvision.net.il.