By Rabbi Dow Marmur
JERUSALEM–People with long memories remind us that Yoav Galant isn’t the only Israeli war hero to cut legal corners; the comings and goings of Moshe Dayan and Ariel Sharon are often cited in this context. But Galant is the first to be punished for it. His appointment as the next IDF Chief of Staff has now been rescinded because of alleged irregularities connected to his grand house and ample grounds in the village of Amikam, charges he vehemently denies. There’re even hints of having been framed by opponents.
In all previous cases, the powers-that-be overlooked the alleged irregularities of high-ranking officers in “the national interest.” Being a good soldier was deemed to be more important than being a law abiding citizen. Not so this time and hopefully not ever again. The media are making sure that institutions such as the State Comptroller, the Attorney General and the Courts are heard by the public and heeded by the authorities.
Not everybody is happy about it. Politicians, particularly on the Right, say publicly that it’s the government and the Knesset that must run the country, not appointed officials, especially when they’re accused of representing sectional interests. (This may be a way of trying to discredit critics who veer to the political Left.) Gallant’s supporters are arguing that animosity and petty jealousy of his neighbors shouldn’t determine national defense and put the country at risk. His alleged misdemeanors, even if proven in court, were minor in comparison to his military achievements.
The argument of those who regret the cancellation of Gallant’s appointment is, of course, that it compromises national security, which must always come first, particularly in the present volatile situation. That’s, indeed, a consideration but it’s not the judiciary or the media that should be blamed but those who wanted to appoint him. Their poor judgment and lack of due diligence are the real reasons why we should be embarrassed.
And the fact that the present Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi isn’t staying even a day after his term is up because of the reported animosity between him and Minister of Defense Ehud Barak suggests that when big-time soldiers play games they learnt in kindergarten we’ve every reason to be alarmed.
Defense Minister Barak, this time reportedly with more hands-on involvement by Prime Minister Netanyahu, is committed to appoint a successor within two months. In the meantime, the current Deputy Chief of Staff will fill in. This is in itself noteworthy, for he’s the first top IDF officer to wear a kippa as a sign of his religious commitment.
The real worry is this: If they’re handling an appointment so badly, how are they handling the turmoil in Egypt and Lebanon plus the potential upheavals elsewhere in the region? The commentators are troubled. “The last six days,” writes one of them in today’s Ha’aretz, “should be taught in schools of management under the heading, ‘How not to do things, when not to do them.’” (Another, writing in the same paper, is more positive when he speaks of a revolution in which Israeli democracy emerged victorious.)
In view of the dramatic events that are happening on Israel’s borders, it’s possible that too much attention is being paid to Gallant, perhaps as a sign of excessive Israeli provincialism, perhaps as a way of avoiding the real issues. But it’s also possible that what happened in Israel in the last week will have more lasting effects on its future even than the dramas in the neighboring countries.
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Rabbi Marmur is spiritual leader emeritus of Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto. He now divides his year between Canada and Israel.