It seems, especially of late, that Israel is yet to decide if it wants to be a genuine law-enforcing entity. It appears that if you have enough strength, at times sheer muscle power, you can have your way.
I'll start with two random stories I heard yesterday. A shop owner, who dabbles in criminal activity when he deems it necessary, had a surprise Tax Authority inspection when he was not at the premises. Alas, the inspection revealed a discrepancy between his records and the total cash amount in the register.
The man made his way to the Tax Authority offices in his city the next morn. Upon his arrival he made sure the inspectors were in the building and waited patiently for them to come out of a meeting they were attending. As soon as they did, he ascertained their identity and hit them smack in their faces, knocking both of them down to the floor.
No further inquiries have been made about his tax compliance since.
The second story is about a bank branch manager who came home to find the apartment swept clean by robbers. The loot includes Israeli artworks worth more than NIS 100,000. Police, as is the case, took a statement and made no false guarantees that the stolen possessions would ever be retrieved.
Incidentally, members of a famous crime family run their private accounts at the same branch this manager is responsible for, enjoying delightful relations with our poor manager. The robbery victim knows full-well all that needs be done is to inform these 'special clients' of the heist and the property would be returned. Swiftly, one might add.
At the other end of the scale, we have the Muslim riots in the Old City over Israeli construction works near the Temple Mount. On Friday a 3,000-strong police force quelled any violent manifestation of the protest, using state-of-the-art riot control gear, putting an end to rock hurling and other forms of civil discontent in no more than thirty minutes.
Ask wanted Palestinian militants if they are sound asleep at night; ask Syrian army commanders if their border control has been eased in recent years. What do think their answer will be?
What emerges from this brief comparison is the sad impression that the State of Israel is in many ways an empty shell. A very tough shell, at that, but nevertheless it is lacking in substantial sovereign content within.
The prioritizing of the use of force in order to assert sovereignty and the rule of law in this country are questionable. Fears of internal mini wars overtake concerns for the safety of the public and public servants. Leaving the ordinary citizen to his own devices in seeking to uphold a façade of a calm order of business is our daily reality.
The true problem is that decision makers will never experience the cold, harsh, reality resulting from their inaptitude. Their gold-solid salaries and pensions, car benefits, ties and sometimes state-funded security after retirement, will keep them hovering about the woes of the commoners. Come their landslide defeat in the elections as it may, their personal lives will feel nothing more than a nudge at the wing, to paraphrase ex-IDF Chief Dan Halutz.
At least they will join the ever-growing pantheon of bruised egos of Israeli politics. Could this be our only solace?
I'll start with two random stories I heard yesterday. A shop owner, who dabbles in criminal activity when he deems it necessary, had a surprise Tax Authority inspection when he was not at the premises. Alas, the inspection revealed a discrepancy between his records and the total cash amount in the register.
The man made his way to the Tax Authority offices in his city the next morn. Upon his arrival he made sure the inspectors were in the building and waited patiently for them to come out of a meeting they were attending. As soon as they did, he ascertained their identity and hit them smack in their faces, knocking both of them down to the floor.
No further inquiries have been made about his tax compliance since.
The second story is about a bank branch manager who came home to find the apartment swept clean by robbers. The loot includes Israeli artworks worth more than NIS 100,000. Police, as is the case, took a statement and made no false guarantees that the stolen possessions would ever be retrieved.
Incidentally, members of a famous crime family run their private accounts at the same branch this manager is responsible for, enjoying delightful relations with our poor manager. The robbery victim knows full-well all that needs be done is to inform these 'special clients' of the heist and the property would be returned. Swiftly, one might add.
At the other end of the scale, we have the Muslim riots in the Old City over Israeli construction works near the Temple Mount. On Friday a 3,000-strong police force quelled any violent manifestation of the protest, using state-of-the-art riot control gear, putting an end to rock hurling and other forms of civil discontent in no more than thirty minutes.
Ask wanted Palestinian militants if they are sound asleep at night; ask Syrian army commanders if their border control has been eased in recent years. What do think their answer will be?
What emerges from this brief comparison is the sad impression that the State of Israel is in many ways an empty shell. A very tough shell, at that, but nevertheless it is lacking in substantial sovereign content within.
The prioritizing of the use of force in order to assert sovereignty and the rule of law in this country are questionable. Fears of internal mini wars overtake concerns for the safety of the public and public servants. Leaving the ordinary citizen to his own devices in seeking to uphold a façade of a calm order of business is our daily reality.
The true problem is that decision makers will never experience the cold, harsh, reality resulting from their inaptitude. Their gold-solid salaries and pensions, car benefits, ties and sometimes state-funded security after retirement, will keep them hovering about the woes of the commoners. Come their landslide defeat in the elections as it may, their personal lives will feel nothing more than a nudge at the wing, to paraphrase ex-IDF Chief Dan Halutz.
At least they will join the ever-growing pantheon of bruised egos of Israeli politics. Could this be our only solace?
posted by Orr at 1:05 pm
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