Deputy Trade Minister Michael Ratzon (Likud) departed several days ago for an official visit to Guatemala and the U.S., but some people in his office are saying that the choice of Guatemala is linked to Ratzon's desire to visit his son there. Ratzon's spokesman Rami Bender - who is to be married this evening - told Arutz-7's Yosef Zalmanson that Ratzon was invited to visit the two countries, that he has held and will be holding meetings with business interests and representatives of Jewish communities, and that "on Sunday, when Ratzon leaves Guatemala, I will be glad to brief you on the results of these meetings." He acknowledged that Ratzon will be meeting with his son on Friday and the Sabbath, "and if there are expenses, he will pay them out of his own pocket." Guatemala has some 850 Jews in 310 families, out of 11 million inhabitants, according to a 2000 census.



Also in the news today was the fact that while Infrastructures Minister Yosef Paritzky (Shinui) is in the United States on an official visit, his 20-year-old son is enjoying the use of his father's Volvo, driving it back and forth to his army base each day. "We checked and it's legal," the son told Yediot Acharonot. "It's better than driving our other car, a Honda Civic, and it's 'style.' It's fun!" The Finance Ministry in fact confirmed that personal aides, spouses and children of a governmental employee given a car are permitted to drive it. There are those, however, who say this clause was not meant for the totally personal use of the relative.