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Last update - 21:20 12/02/2009 The devil wears Pravda By Benny Ziffer Tags: Israel News  I have seen the new devil. He's a tad heavyset. He has bulging eyes. His Russian accent in Hebrew is heavy. A real Israeli devil would have been preferable, instead of one who desperately tries to be more Israeli than the Israelis. If he had a little more humor, for example. If only he were a little witty, or had refined tastes. But no. His eyes darted about on Tuesday night as he delivered his heavy, befuddled, lusterless speech, as though he wanted to test his audience's patience. It's not easy being the devil. Even if he joins the coalition, whatever its makeup will be, he will always feel that he's there not thanks to his charm, but because there was no other choice. Like the old saying goes, when you've run out of options, you are allowed to cut a deal with the devil. A miserable devil like that. Not long ago the country emerged from a useless war, which saw acts of cruelty that are difficult for the mind to tolerate. It is especially difficult to accept that the acts of cruelty were carried out by good people, on the orders of good people. The new devil absolves the good people of a certain moral difficulty. Now it's just a matter of waiting for him to join the coalition. From that moment, the responsibility in retrospect for that cruel and useless war will fall on him. From that moment, every time a soldier at a checkpoint beats a Palestinian with the butt of his rifle, the blame will be pinned on the new devil. Advertisement And most of all, let us not feign surprise that the new devil won more Knesset seats than the Labor Party. A simple calculation: For every crocodile tear shed by a Labor voter over the fact that his party lost its way, and over the need to learn from this and emerge strengthened from its mistakes (Shelly Yachimovich's speech), a little demon is born in the devil's kingdom and mischievously wags his devilish tail as if to say: At least I, who was created from a teardrop of hypocrisy, do not cry when I shoot. Switching lanes Most voters had mixed feelings about the fact that in politics things happen of their own accord. Vote or don't vote - the outcome will not be different than it was destined to be. To the contrary: I voted for Meretz, and it got only three seats. And I nearly voted for Labor, but just look at it now. And Livni. All of the serious columnists urged support for Livni. So what? If she manages to form a right-wing nationalist government, should I rejoice merely because Netanyahu was not the one to form it? If that be the case, then to hell with politics. A driver sitting in a traffic jam always thinks that traffic is moving more quickly in the next lane. You switch lanes, and the lane you left then seems to be moving along faster. The success or failure of a leader or party that you like or loathe always occurs when you're worried that you'll miss out on something else. You switch lanes (say, from Meretz to Kadima, or from Likud to Lieberman), rushing to cast the new ballot under a presumption that you are altering the course of history. Like a child who thinks that if he makes a wish, it will come true. Once, not too long ago, folks were perhaps less childish and more sober-minded. They knew that even if Mapai did not win, the Mapai system (i.e., you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours) would win. And it is winning to this day under other names. A person of your caliber It was 8:45 A.M. on Wednesday. Daniel Ben Simon, my colleague at Haaretz until recently and a member of the incoming Knesset from the Labor Party, appeared on Channel 2. At the sight of his familiar face, looking pleased as punch, and hearing the witty banter he engaged in with his fellow journalists sitting in the television studio as interviewers, I thought of my mother. She would be so proud if I, too, could become a Knesset member and bring greater honor to the family. "Une personne de ton calibre," she would say, "could be more than a journalist." I believe Ben Simon had those very words drilled into him by his mother. Until finally he became convinced of their truth. As though there is truly any real difference between a journalist and a politician. Both operate under the delusion that they have an impact on reality, and both live in fear of the moment that they cease working and immediately fall into a deep hole, and their names are forgotten. In that respect, it is slightly more worthwhile being an MK, since there is a chance that a street will be named after you, or at least one of the country's laws. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Bibi running scared Netanyahu is talking about a broad coalition only because he is afraid. Happy trails, Ehud Despite the scandals, Israelis are going to miss Olmert.   1.   The Devil Wears Pravda 19:07  |  Miriam Joyce 13/02/09   2.   Benny - case of sour grapes !!! 22:54  |  Esther 14/02/09   3.   Hard, harsh or truth 23:11  |  Mike 14/02/09   4.   I stopped reading after the first paragraph ... 23:36  |  martin knopfman 14/02/09   5.   poor benny 00:15  |  michael rose 15/02/09   6.   Ziffer himself is racist toward Russian Jews 02:35  |  Walter Ruby 15/02/09   7.   Awww !! the poor leftist sore loser Benny lost the election 04:18  |  HENRY MANN 15/02/09   8.   Could it be the message? 07:46  |  bb 15/02/09   9.   Good points Benny, but you forgot the people... 10:18  |  UlfT 15/02/09   10.   Racism is racism is racism 13:37  |  Eva 15/02/09

Read & React Livni, Netanyahu to meet Sunday for coalition talks Responses: 16 Coalition building / Netanyahu threatened and Lieberman blinked Responses: 5 Ariel Zilber: Ehud Olmert, we'll miss you Responses: 26 Why Israel's rejection of 'peace' hospital offer angered Turkey Responses: 11 More Headlines 17:28 Livni, Netanyahu to meet Sunday for coalition talks 19:55 Hamas: Israel picked 'most dangerous' politician to lead it 20:35 Israel urges UN to continue probing Syria nuclear activity 09:17 ANALYSIS / Netanyahu's victory is starting to turn sour 15:23 Coalition building / Netanyahu threatened and Lieberman blinked 18:53 Vatican irked by 'blasphemous' Virgin Mary TV spoof in Israel 18:51 U.S. analysts: Iran may have enough uranium for one nuke 12:41 Gaza militants fire 10 mortar shells, Qassam rocket at Negev 11:26 French FM: No reason to link Shalit deal with Gaza crossings 12:57 Israel's Eurovision team: An Arab who looks Jewish and a Jew who looks Arab 09:14 Why Israel's rejection of 'peace' hospital offer angered Turkey 15:24 Leading U.S. rabbi welcomed Obama, now stands accused of idolatry 10:21 Jerusalem offers to voluntarily relocate 1,500 Palestinian residents 16:06 Jewish leaders hail Argentina decision to expel Holocaust-denying bishop Previous Editions Select Day 19 feb 18 feb 17 feb 16 feb 15 feb 13 feb 12 feb 11 feb 10 feb 09 feb 08 feb 06 feb

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