He tried to hit on someone I know at a luncheon.

I hope you are correct and he is really a bad guy. What it seems like to me the public is that he has been dealt a very harsh blow just because of a misunderstanding on his side.

She seems to be the bad one.

I was also told by someone who claimed to have insider knowledge that the whole thing was a big Setup planned from the start. Who knows what to beleive ?

Ramon - Olmert - Elyashiv

Go Home!

ryan - as wrote before, I think this case was ridiculous. I was totally surprised that he was convicted. However he is well known to be nothing better than pond scum and in general rumors have been abounding about his scumminess and his forcing relationships with women for a long time.
So they are putting him away on a stupid case, but he probably deserves it for other incidents as well.

anonymous - you crack me up.

What is really pathetic is that his whole defense was that it was consensual. He is a 50+ man, Justice Minister, a leader, one of the elite of Israeli society, and he is playing around with 21 year old girls? What kind of judgment does that show? What kind of morals is that even if it was consensual?

What is also disturbing is the reaction of Eli Yishai.
This is a prominent public and political leader, who has given so much to the Israeli political system. I am sure that Ramon will take advantage of his right to appeal.

Eli Yishai is the leader of Shas a religious, Haredi party. Even if Ramon is "innocent" he doesn't deny what happened just the interpretation (consensual or not). What happened is not the mark of a leader and certainly not someone who should be praised by the religious community.

For more see Haim Ramon -- Guilty

What is depressing is the corruption and low level of morals and ethics in thr government in general. When you talk to Chareidi yeshiva people and confront them with their corrupt operating style, they tell you that why are they held to a higher level than the rest of the govt.thieves. It is just pathetic and heartbreaking.

bluke - great analysis

David - I am not really sure what you mean...

I was not clear. I was commenting on the general corruption in the Israeli system. Usually sexual harassment, fiscal corruption and other misdemeanors are symptoms of the same malaise, hubris, arrogance, feeling of power and of being above the law. When those in power are corrupt the whole society follows as they feel they need to grab a piece of the action too. I was focussing in on the chareidim who are corrupt(Deri and the current scandals)who also argue the same when they should know better.

I am a frequent visitor to israel and my soon lives in Jerusalem and I am always amazed at the level of proteczia that is necessary for day to day living.

Sadly incidents like this, Moshe Katzav's, etc. do nothing for world opinion of us. They have been used in the media as one more opportunity to villify Israel.