Kiss of Doom

You can imagine the scare rippling through Israeli President Moshe Katzav's residence on hearing the news Wednesday that Justice Minister Haim Ramon was found guilty of sexually harassing a young woman soldier. He kissed her. Vigorously. Smotheringly. And for that Ramon is staring at a three year jail stretch.

For the Israeli president it could be a lot worse. Katzav is facing charges of being a serial rapist. That's a lot worse than a kiss. If Katvaz encounters the same kind of judgement, he's looking at a long jail sentence, 16 years maybe, or being choppped into sushi.

It must be a grim evening indeed at the Katzav residence.

What's fascinating is how Israeli politicians and soldiers react when their country is in peril. It turns out that on July 12, 2006, just minutes before the Israeli cabinet declared war against Hizballah, Justice Minister Ramon,56, was busy sticking his tongue down a woman soldier's throat. He was, perhaps, contemplating the thrust into Lebanon.

Meanwhile, when the Israeli Chief of Staff Danny Halutz (since resigned) heard that Hizballah had kidnapped two Israeli soldiers --the event that triggered the summer war-- his reaction was to call his broker and sell off shares, anticipating a collapse of the stock market.
His financial judgment was as loopy as his battlefield strategy. It didn't take long for Israel's stock market to re-bound. Israelis may have confidence in their economy, but these days, they sure don't feel the same about their leaders.
--by Tim McGirk/Jerusalem