It's 1, 2, 3 Strikes ... [2]

During the last month or so, there has hardly been a day without one strike or another.

• The post-elementary teachers are on strike for a better deal with the Finance Ministry, who after all, they are among the lowest paid teachers in the developed world and lowest paid workers (even assuming an advanced degree and 15 years experience) in the country -- less than 5,000 NIS a month [~USD 1,250] or USD 15,000/year.
• The Port of Ashdod was on strike.
• The Israel Electric Company against the proposed, and now legislated, privatization plan which would ruin their benefit of free (and unlimited) electricity.
• The university students are/were on strike to protest the government committee that is expected to call for a tuition increase (to cover the shortfall created by the diminishing government contribution to higher education).
• The National Insurance Institutions (social security) because they wanted better working conditions including money.
• On and on ...

Tomorrow is a threatened nation-wide strike called by the Histradrut [the National Federation of Workers] to protest the lack of payment (salaries), some up to 10 months, of various municipal employees throughout Israel. The government issued a number of promises to address the issue. However, some 1,000 people remain waiting for their paycheck for 10 months. Lots of excuses are offered by the government -- the ministries of finance, interior, PMO (responsible for the local religious councils) -- but, of course, little action. Ironically, this group -- many of whom worked in Arab (read non-Jewish) areas -- has continued to show up and did their work despite not being paid (kind of silly too). I really feel for their plight and it's a real embarrassment that the government and the country has allowed it to continue this long.

Unfortunately, like all the other strikes I'm not sure the actions are being targeted appropriately. I mean, if you're trying to influence an insensitive government, why inconvenience the general public? The public, also unfortunately, has little if any influence on government action. Among some of the reasons is that no Member of Knesset [MK] is directly responsible to any geographically identified population. They're completely reliant on some part of their party -- the central committee or in some cases the entire membership who voted for the party election list.

If the target is the government, why not withhold services that government and its ministers require? Collect the garbage, but instead of bringing it to the dump, place it on the lawn of the nearest Minister or the Prime Minister's residence or the Knesset grounds. Have each of the municipal employees call/fax the government inquiring when their back paychecks will be direct deposited. Encourage the government aides to refuse to do their work, thus making the Minister do all the work. Picket them at their homes. Generally, make their lives so disagreeable that they feel it necessary to resolve the workers' issues quickly and in good faith.

And, yes, I know it's all just a (pipe) dream.

It's 1,2, 3 strikes... [1]

For the last week or so Esterina Tartman, a MK from the Israel Beitanu party and a close confidant of its leader Avigdor Lieberman, has been the subject of a number of exposes.

1. When an Arab member of the Knesset [MK] from Labor was about to be appointed to the cabinet, she expressed her opinion that Arabs have no place in the government, since Israel is a Jewish state -- "I am in favor of a Jewish and democratic state," and suggesting that the appointment of Ghaleb Majadele was tantamount to "swinging a gigantic axe at the tree trunk called Zionism and the Jewish state." Her racist comment didn't garner her any positive feedback/support from the general public.
2. It was disclosed that several years ago, she applied for (and was granted) disabled status from the results of a traffic accident by the NII. She claimed that she was only able to work four hours per day. She also received a settlement from the insurance company.
3. This week it was disclosed that she lied about her academic credentials. She doesn't hold a BA (in economics from Bar Ilan U) or an MBA (from Hebrew U).

With a shuffle of the cabinet, Israel Beitanu received an additional cabinet post (Min of Tourism) and the chairship of the Knesset Finance Committee (whose current chair has refused to set down despite his party refusal to join the government coalition -- but that's another story). Tartman was designated as the party's choice for the Tourism post.

With the revelation of her falsified resume, her "star" had fallen. Late yesterday, after it had become clear that her candidacy had garnered opposition within the Knesset and she might not get elected, she announced that she was withdrawing her name from consideration. Another party member replaced her.

What was most interesting here is not that it was another sign of how corrupt the government or the political system is but, how Tartman and Lieberman expressed shock and outrage how "the media" treated them. Instead of expressing contrition at their misdeeds, they accused the media (and I assume also the public) for their "witch hunt". For Lieberman, her misrepresentations on her resume were no big deal and an innocent mistake.

Who's Lieberman fooling? It was calculated act. Her "problem" is that she and the party got caught. It would do the party, the government and the country good if its leaders were actually above ethical (never mind legal) reproach and when they 'fail', they acknowledge their error in judgement, preferably before it becomes media fodder. However, even after it's reported accepting responsibility for their behavior would also be appreciated.

Lastly, it's another reason for reforming the electoral system. See David Horwitz, Editor's Notes in last Friday's (23 Feb) Jerusalem Post.