I am upset. I am embarrassed. I am touched by the righteous anger of the average man. I am saddened by the lessons being learned by our children.
President Moshe Katsav of Israel is being accused of behavior worse than that of former President Bill Clinton. He is accused of rape. He is accused of taking advantage of his high position. His lifetime of accomplishments is being torn from his grasp. The anti-Semites are rejoicing at the moral corruption of Israel.
As Katsav is being charged with rape, government ministers are in jail. Every prime minister since Shamir has been under criminal investigation (Rabin, Peres, Netanyahu, Barak, Sharon and Olmert), as is the current Ashkenazi chief rabbi. Ministers of Justice Tzachi Hanegbi and Chaim Ramon; Minister of Defense Yitzhak Mordechai; Minister of Labor and Welfare Shlomo Benizri; Minister of Interior Aryeh Deri; Ariel Sharon’s son, MK Omri Sharon; and several other members of the Knesset from both religious and secular parties along with the senior officers of Israel’s tax authority, have all been under criminal investigation.
It should be noted that many heavily publicized corruption investigations have led nowhere. Being accused, as we all realize, is not the same as being guilty.
It was difficult to watch Katsav’s anguished performance recently, as he categorically denied all of the allegations against him. He bluntly accused the police and attorney general – under the influence of the news media – of conducting a witch-hunt to discredit him. He denounced the incessant leaking by the police and the attorney general’s office of prejudicial material and innuendoes. “They are out to get me”, he declared.
Who really knows if he is right? He is Sephardic, religious (Mesorati) and right wing; his defeat of Shimon Peres for the presidency was a bitter pill for the leftists to swallow.
The perennial candidate Shimon Peres has already announced his candidacy for the presidency. Left-wing politicians are pushing for an impeachment vote. The attorney general still has not filed charges against the president – who has not even been indicted yet. But the Left is already choosing its candidate and the press has declared Katsav guilty.
All of his achievements are being ignored. Schools are ceremoniously removing his portrait from their walls, teachers are discussing his “crimes” in their civic lessons and “everyone” is sure that he is guilty. “Innocent until proven guilty” is not part of this story.
I, like almost all journalists, have no clue as to whether the president is a rapist or if he corrupted his high office. None of those writing the news have any personal knowledge of his guilt or innocence. At the moment all of the evidence is, “He said, she said” and Katsav is suffering in anguish. It is painful to watch the glee of the Left, the confusion of the religious and the Right, and the laughter of the world.
If he is guilty, may he receive the punishment that he deserves for desecrating his distinguished office. If he is innocent, may those who are besmirching and persecuting him find themselves someday in a similar position. They would then suffer his anguish.
Unfortunately, judges are not always chosen for their righteousness and fairness, but rather for their political connections. Regrettably, the finest candidates do not join the police department. Sadly, the attorney general is appointed by the ruling political party for agreeing with their political philosophy. Unhappily, President Moshe Katsav may be guilty.
Alas, the entire situation reflects badly on Israel and brings joy to the hearts of our enemies. Pray for us!
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