When the current government was set up everyone raised
eyebrows when Ehud Olmert appointed Amir Peretz defense
minister, but Olmert sat back and grinned a big grin. He knew
exactly what he was doing, even if it was at the expense of
Israel's citizens and perhaps even at the expense of their
security.
Peretz has no real background or experience in security
affairs. The finance portfolio was much better suited to his
background, but Olmert insisted on leaving the Finance
Ministry in the hands of Kadima and handing the Defense
Ministry over to his partner from Labor.
The Hamas government, a weak Abu Mazen, the Convergence Plan
against the wishes of the Palestinian people and a diplomatic
freeze are just a few of the reasons why Olmert predicted
that the State of Israel was headed toward a difficult period
with the Palestinians. He sent in his rival, Peretz, to
tangle with the Palestinians and to be embroiled in
confrontations with the Arab world and the Left camp to which
his party belongs.
Not realizing what he was getting into, Peretz was eager to
take on the job to improve his security credentials and to
make himself a real contender for the Prime Minister's Office
in the future, since the people of Eretz Yisroel could not
bring themselves to elect a man totally lacking diplomatic
and security experience.
Once at his new post everybody watched and waited to see who
was right. Based on recent events it seems Olmert made the
wiser move while Peretz got snared in a trap. The Defense
Minister has been left all alone in the battle against the
Palestinians and the Kassam missiles, and most of all to deal
with his neighbors and friends from the city of Sderot.
And things went from bad to worse following last week's
attack on Kerem Shalom and the subsequent hostage crisis.
Had Ariel Sharon been serving as Prime Minister he would
never have stood by quietly as the Palestinians rained
missiles down on Sderot, but would have led the counter-
attack, letting the Palestinians know just what they would be
in for if the missile launching continued. He would not have
shirked responsibility and left his Defense Minister to fend
for himself. But then again Olmert is not Sharon — in
more ways than one.
Taking the Law Seriously
"The law is the law," various Leftist champions of the rule
of law constantly harp here in Israel — unless the law
happens to touch on religion. And in some cases, even if it
is merely associated with religion.
Take the Work and Rest Hours Law, for instance. The law was
not originally legislated for religious reasons or even
initiated by a religious party. In fact it was not even
intended to preserve the sanctity of Shabbos Kodesh, but
rather to guarantee the worker's right to rest. But since the
law also banned working on Shabbos it was trampled over like
a doormat. Among the die-hard champions of the rule of law,
not a single word of protest passed their lips, as if the law
was not on the books.
Beyond any shadow of a doubt, had Sunday or Tuesday been
designated the official day of rest the Work and Rest Hours
Law would have been enforced to the full extent of the law
and any infringement would have brought high-pitched protests
in defense of the workers and their need for a day of
rest.
But since Shabbos Kodesh happened to be chosen as the day of
rest — after all, we are talking about a Jewish country
— the law was destined to be stomped on and
violated.
Recently the issue came before the Knesset Finance Committee
in light of the shocking fact nearly 20 percent of workers
are employed on Shabbos, most of them against their will. But
during the hiring process work on Shabbos is presented as a
precondition for employment. Seven days a week, like slaves.
And just like the nisyonos many Jews from Europe faced
in America.
During the committee meeting, chareidi MKs were in for a
surprise: a general consensus on the need to tighten
enforcement of the Work and Rest Hours Law. Even hard-line
secularists agreed, but for reasons of their own. They were
unfazed by Shabbos desecration, but wanted to defend workers'
rights.
"This time it is not a cultural debate between difference
segments of the Jewish people, but a debate over greed," said
MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni.
Trade and Industry and Trade Minister Eli Yishai (Shas)
pointed out that compelling people to work on Shabbos has
ruined many families. He added that the courts, influenced by
public opinion, see violations of the Work and Rest Hours Law
not as an infringement on a social law but as a struggle
between the religious and the secular, and choose sides
accordingly.
Saying the new consensus could finally bring about genuine
enforcement of the law Yishai presented a great absurdity:
his ministry employs a grand total of four part-time
inspectors to enforce the Work and Rest Hours Law around the
country.
