Torturing a Family

There are so many facets to life in Israel - a simple society, it is not.

Yet another facet is our ongoing struggle to get back our soldiers who are being held captive. We know their names, we live with them missing, we suffer with their families. There are many Arabs being held in Israeli jails. For each, there is a crime or a suspicion of a crime associated with his (or her) name.

With due process and a court system in place, each will have his day of justice, each serve his time, and each be released according to the court's judgement...unless...unless the government comes in and makes a deal - releasing hundreds for a few. The precendent has been set and repeated over and over again. What worth does an Israeli life have in the eyes of the government and people of Israel? The answer, is that it is priceless...even when there is no life.

A few years ago, Israel released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners - for three bodies and a drug dealer. Now, we are trying desperately to find out the condition of the two soldiers kidnapped from our land by Hizbollah in the north and trying to negotiate to get Gilad Shalim back from Gaza.

We know that Shalit is alive. We don't know about the other two soldiers, Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser.

Those that sit in Israeli prisons are treated well, have full access to medical care, food and more. We know nothing of what medical treatment Ehud and Eldad were given after their capture. We do not know how or where Gilad is being held. Contrary to international law, human rights organizations are not given access to check on our soldiers.

The only good news we have received recently was a letter from Gilad to his family. We can only pray it is a prelude to his coming home:

"Dear Mom and Dad,

My dear family, I miss you very much. Two long and difficult years have passed since we last parted and I was forced to begin living life as a captive. I continue to suffer medical and psychological difficulties and the depression that is part of this sort of life.

As in my previous letters, I sincerely hope your mental and physical wellbeing has not suffered since you began life without me. I still think and dream of the day I am freed and see you again, and still I keep the hope that that day is near, but I know it is not in your hands or in mine.

I call on the government not to neglect the negotiations for my release and direct its efforts only on the release of the soldiers in Lebanon."

Ok, and you are fired!

Israelis have...shall we say...a unique way of dealing with their government leaders and those in authority. In the United States and in many other places in the Western world, people treat their government representatives with respect, even if they disagree.

Israelis will argue right back, if they feel someone in government is wrong. There is a general sense that they are people, not gods, not greater in value or wisdom than the rest of us. Often, will they be offered advice, and told what we, the people, think about the job they are doing.

Apparently for many, at least those living close to Gaza who suffer from daily rocket and mortar attacks, disgust with the army and government's inability to stop the barrages has led to a new level of frustration. So much so, apparently, that one resident from the south felt he had the right to fire the Deputy Defense Minister, Matan Vilnai.

According to YNET:

Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai (Labor) received a ‘letter of dismissal' from a western Negev resident during his Tuesday meeting with the Gaza Vicinity communities’ council heads.

“In light of your inability to fulfill the duties for which you have been appointed deputy, we hereby inform you that your services are no longer required and that you are no longer welcome in our region. You have wrongly accused us of cowardice and have abandoned the residents,” southern resident Ofer Shmerling wrote to Vilnai.

And we work too hard too...

According to a recent study, Israelis are among the hardest, longest working populations in the world. Living in Israel, I can tell you this is no surprise. We do work very long hours - but the amazing innovations and technological discoveries that come out of Israel every year shows well where those many hours are going. Let's just hope that all those males (and females) get to work less hours and rest once they reach the age of 45!

(IsraelNN.com) A comprehensive Bank of Israel study found that five percent of Israel’s salaried workers work more than 60 hours a week (the standard 8 hour a day work week is 40 hours), fourth highest amongst member states in the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). Only South Korea, Japan, and Mexico have higher incidences of work hours.

Workaholism affects mainly educated, male Israelis between 35 and 44 who work as managers, academics, or engineers in public service, hi-tech or research and development.