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Attorney General Menachem Mazuz addressing the graduating law class at Bar-Ilan University on Wednesday. (Tomer Appelbaum / BauBau)
Last update - 04:49 21/06/2007
AG: Israel abandoning its values, national symbols collapsing
By Yuval Yoaz, Haaretz Correspondent

Attorney General Menachem Mazuz told university graduates Wednesday that the State of Israel's value system was in decline, and warned his audience that Israelis that could not ignore the phenomenon in the hope that it would "go away."

"The national symbols are collapsing one after the other, and the feeling is that the state is letting go of its values one by one," Mazuz said in an address to law graduates at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan.

Israel is a "state under warning," he said. "The leaders are incapacitated, public figures are coming in and out of [police] interrogation rooms."

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"Polls show a growing erosion in the public's faith in the various ruling systems, including the judicial system," he continued, adding that Israel is experiencing a leadership crisis that has caused low spirits and spiritual exhaustion across the country.

"These are feelings of a loss of direction, depression, emotional detachment and loss of meaning - and these feelings are very dangerous," he said.

"A situation of collective desperation could cause the deterioration of society to the point of government instability, a sense of general disintegration, and a desire to break the rules like in a jungle."

He compared the country to a body whose "immune system is giving warning signs that extensive therapy is required."

"We must choose whether to fight to preserve the character of the nation as a state whose citizens respect the values of adherence to the law and values of tolerance and equal rights, or alternately sit by and watch from the sidelines."

Mazuz said that the country must act to halt the moral decline and loss of direction, stressing that ignoring the situation was no solution.

"We must choose whether to help push the car that has slightly derailed and become stuck in the mud. If we turn away, the ugliness will not just go away. We must aim for the kind of leadership that will be worthy of its constituents," Mazuz concluded.

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  1.   thanks BUT U R JUST PART OF THE PROBLEM MANNI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 23:01  |  Ben Uziel 20/06/07
  2.   The main culprit,AG Mazuz should point finger at himself 23:11  |  Absolute Sweden 20/06/07
  3.   Another Burg! 23:16  |  Boozaglow 20/06/07
  4.   With Olmert and Livni not only symbols 23:19  |  Jonathan S 20/06/07
  5.   A symptom describes the disease 23:21  |  Mark Lincoln 20/06/07
  6.   Yes, Values are disappearing . . . 23:23  |  Michelle 20/06/07
  7.   Now Mazuz must stand up to his words 23:42  |  Jonathan S 20/06/07
  8.   Poor Mark L., Oh for those days of yore 23:52  |  Jacob Blues 20/06/07
  9.   Loss of heart comes from loss of Judea and Samaria 00:03  |  AV 21/06/07
  10.   SIMPLE TO FIX 00:03  |  Shepherd 21/06/07
  11.   The only rescue for Israel is Zionism 00:44  |  Alicia 21/06/07
  12.   Mazuz - a major cause of the decline 01:09  |  David 21/06/07
  13.   Israel abandoning its values 01:16  |  kochav ben avraham 21/06/07
  14.   Yeah right !!! Mazuz is the worst of all !!! 01:27  |  Jonathan 21/06/07
  15.   Failure to stop rockets is a main reason for anger 02:00  |  Jason 21/06/07
  16.   This is exactly what 02:08  |  Lord Horatio Nelson 21/06/07
  17.   That`s because the state is built on hypocrisy 02:39  |  Tim 21/06/07
  18.   Mazuz should know 03:02  |  Aharon Rosenbaum 21/06/07
  19.   wrong perception 03:23  |  Daniel 21/06/07
  20.   Israel Values and Survival 03:32  |  Natan 21/06/07
  21.   wrong perception 03:34  |  daniel 21/06/07
  22.   Important warning with some self-interest 04:26  |  Mireya Siqueiros 21/06/07
  23.   when you tear 9000 people from their homes... 05:08  |  what did you expect? 21/06/07
  24.   Tolerance as a Value 05:26  |  Efox 21/06/07
  25.   Israel has no right to claim the high moral ground 05:58  |  Roberto 21/06/07
  26.   The Occupation is corrupting the soul of Israel. 07:29  |  Nick Ferriman 21/06/07
  27.   Not the Whole Story 07:51  |  Tod Zuckerman 21/06/07
  28.   Sad indeed.... 08:27  |  Esther 21/06/07
  29.   Mazuz`s real message 08:41  |  Boris Celser 21/06/07
  30.   Teshuvah 08:53  |  Howard 21/06/07
  31.   MAZUZ ABANDONED JUDAISM,JEWISH PEOPLE`S STATE! SHAME)))))))) 08:56  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 21/06/07
  32.   "equal rights" hahahahaha 09:10  |  keith 21/06/07
  33.   Re: Tolerance as a value 09:13  |  zvi 21/06/07
  34.   Being part of the problem 09:38  |  D 21/06/07
  35.   A Leadership Crisis in Israel...... 09:45  |  Dagma 21/06/07
  36.   "We must aim for the kind of leadership that will be worthy of it 10:00  |  Barron 21/06/07
  37.   AMEN EFOX!!! 10:17  |  Virginia 21/06/07
  38.   AG: Israel Abandoning Values - Alas the AG is Part of the Problem 10:23  |  Yitzhak 21/06/07
  39.   Wasn`t there only one value for Israel from the start? 10:38  |  John 21/06/07
  40.   Look to the East 18:35  |  Jewish Philosopher 21/06/07
  41.   Israel Needs Tikkun Olam 18:52  |  Lee 21/06/07
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