Friday, August 25, 2006
8/25/2006 09:51:00 AM | 
Posted by
JoeSettler
It's looking more and more like Katsav will be stepping down early from the Presidency.
Until now, Katsav’s term has been remarkably absent of any controversy (except for the “Rabbi” thing, and he was right there). On the other hand, while he consistently promoted unity, there were times when he should have taken a position on things and he didn’t.
Though right now it looks like he may have been promoting a little too much of a unity position. Still, I’m going to take a wait-and-see approach to hear the final results. It just seems so incongruous from what we've seen of him publicly.
In the meantime the candidates are taking their places at the starting gate. In the front we have former Chief Rabbi Meir Lau, Former Speaker of the Knesset Ruby Rivlin, and I’m sure Shimon Peres is in the list somewhere (if he isn't afraid to lose yet another election).
Personally, JoeSettler endorses Ruby Rivlin for the position of President of Israel.
Rivlin, besides displaying and acting on his strong feelings for Judaism and Eretz Yisrael has proven that he can be non-partisan when required (when he was Speaker) up to the point that it makes sense to be. There are no known skeletons rattling around in his closet (they had more than enough opportunity to come to the fore when he was about to be appointed Justice Minister).
Rivlin has taken strong, clear, and good stances in how he thinks the country should work and define itself. And he took clear strong positions in opposing the Disengagement, and as a brave, nearly solo voice (along with Uzi Landau and Moshe Feiglin) challenging Aharon Barak’s attempt to vandalize and rule this country with his judicial activism (though I do disagree with how Rivlin disengages Barak the person from Barak the Justice – as I don’t think they are at all disconnected).
It would be a shame to lose Rivlin in the Knesset, but on the other hand, perhaps he will have an even more positive influence as President - as a symbol of unity and for promoting Jewish ideals and values.
Until now, Katsav’s term has been remarkably absent of any controversy (except for the “Rabbi” thing, and he was right there). On the other hand, while he consistently promoted unity, there were times when he should have taken a position on things and he didn’t.
Though right now it looks like he may have been promoting a little too much of a unity position. Still, I’m going to take a wait-and-see approach to hear the final results. It just seems so incongruous from what we've seen of him publicly.
In the meantime the candidates are taking their places at the starting gate. In the front we have former Chief Rabbi Meir Lau, Former Speaker of the Knesset Ruby Rivlin, and I’m sure Shimon Peres is in the list somewhere (if he isn't afraid to lose yet another election).
Personally, JoeSettler endorses Ruby Rivlin for the position of President of Israel.
Rivlin, besides displaying and acting on his strong feelings for Judaism and Eretz Yisrael has proven that he can be non-partisan when required (when he was Speaker) up to the point that it makes sense to be. There are no known skeletons rattling around in his closet (they had more than enough opportunity to come to the fore when he was about to be appointed Justice Minister).
Rivlin has taken strong, clear, and good stances in how he thinks the country should work and define itself. And he took clear strong positions in opposing the Disengagement, and as a brave, nearly solo voice (along with Uzi Landau and Moshe Feiglin) challenging Aharon Barak’s attempt to vandalize and rule this country with his judicial activism (though I do disagree with how Rivlin disengages Barak the person from Barak the Justice – as I don’t think they are at all disconnected).
It would be a shame to lose Rivlin in the Knesset, but on the other hand, perhaps he will have an even more positive influence as President - as a symbol of unity and for promoting Jewish ideals and values.
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10 comments:
Rivlin was Communications Minister - not Justice Minister.
And here are a couple of links about some previous investigations of Rivlin:
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2002/dec2002/isra-d31.shtml
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=%20420143&contrassID=2&subContrassID=1&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y
Correct, but he was a candidate for Justice Minister - which is the point when he was investigated.
He was investigated because he was a friend of David Appels. All of David Appel's political contacts were investigated. Some of them were probably guilty of something.
But you'll note that all charges were dropped and the case was closed.
That generally means "innocent".
Though in Israel Mazuz likes to bring up random investigations and charges against politicians that generally go nowhere because he is merely fishing as opposed to building cases.
He then likes to keep the cases open for as long as he can to hold it over their heads.
As a "extremist religious pro-YESHA settler right-winger" I support SHIMON PERES for President. I see your posting that although you seem to realize how rotten the whole system in Israel is, you are deluding yourself if you think some "nice guy" like Ruby Rivlin can make a difference, just like people thought a similar "nice-guy" Likudnik like Moshe Katsav can be a "bridge-builder unifier". FORGET IT. The system is so rotten and the gang ruling the major centers of power in Israel are so corrupt that taking a decent fellow and putting him in some ceremonial position like the Presidency makes people who are on the "out" in Israel, i.e. disenfranchised (The national religious, haredim, development towns residents-Edot haMizrach, Russians, Ethiopians, etc, etc) think they are being given "something". I want Peres in that position because he would immediately get into fights with Olmert, since the President outranks the Prime Minister in protocol and he would try to run his own foreign policy. This is why Ehud Barak told Labor party people to vote for Katsav--he didn't want Peres breathing down his neck. The situation in Israel is now so back that people must see how rotten it is (not everyone understands this) and putting Peres in the Presidency would simply discredit the regime even faster. I even more strongly oppose Rav Lau taking the job, this appointment would be made to pull the wool over the eyes of the religious. I hope he is wise enough not to fall into the oligarchs' trap.
Are the war stories finished?
I have a few more when I get around to writing them.
Here's a quickie for you.
One of the generals (I forgot his name at the moment) visited one of the reserve units (a different one from the previous stories) and started with his nareshkeit.
One of the reservist got up and asked him if he thought they were in first grade that he was telling them that nonsense.
At that point all the reservist started spontaneously banging and chanting in unison "teetpater" (quit), until the general left.
It was Gal Hirsch
and what happened was that one soldier said that Hirsch should resign his commission. Hirsch said that "this is the army not an election convention" At which point all the soldiers started banging on the table and shouting in unison "teetpater!!".
Thanks. I didn't remember all the details when you first told them to me.
It just seems so incongruous from what we've seen of him publicly.
Its not like there are any giveaway signs on this matter...
- Did you know, your post about Olmert was featured in the UK Jewish Chronicle this weekend, in their blogs roundup? One of 3- DovBear, Iris and you.
Some people come across as slimy and others don't. If you had to chooses between say Yitzchak Mordechai and Moshe Katzav doing something like this, Katzav would not be your first choice.
By the way, do you have a link, or the text of their article?
Thanks.
I see your point: but don't forger that slimy doth not an abuser makes.
Try searching the Jewish Chronicle website. And if that bears no fruit I'll see if I can get you the original somehow- I have friends in high places, and failing that, grandparents who keep the paper...
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