Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., July 08, 2008 Tamuz 5, 5768 | | Israel Time: 03:13 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Ramon / Endless kiss By Yossi Verter Tags: Menachem Mazuz  During Sunday's cabinet meeting one of the ministers pointed out that the discussion on the prisoner exchange deal with Hezbollah had been shorter. Haim Ramon was certainly not impressed. As far as he is concerned, what the State Prosecutor's Office and the police did to him was a strategic-level terrorist attack, which is enough to turn the whole world on its head and alter the rules of the game. A casus belli. And things got bellicose alright. The minister's "friends" refused to enlist themselves to his personal and just vendetta against the law enforcement system. For hours they butted heads and exchanged insults, until finally it was the decided that the state comptroller should be requested to review the scandal. Is that it? The state comptroller? They might have just sent him a letter. He would have been delighted to look into it. Instead of going for this sane solution in the first place, the warring parties did battle. Incidentally, the first person to suggest this solution was Social Affairs Minister Isaac Herzog, at a Labor ministerial meeting nine days ago. Advertisement "It was an exercise in arm twisting, egos at work, power plays and plenty of self righteousness," commented one attendee at yesterday's cabinet meeting. He was commenting on the efforts of the attorney general and state prosecutor, who were covering up for their subordinates; and on the police chief, who is seeking to paint over foul-ups in his jurisdiction. He was also referring to the public security minister, who is cooperating with his police chief, and to the ministers running for the leadership of Kadima, for whom appearing corruption-free is all important. But he was mainly referring to Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann. The reason for Ramon's failure is first and foremost Ramon. He has pushed his own personal issue too far. But he would have never succeeded in failing so thoroughly if it were not for Friedmann fighting in his name. Friedmann has been in office for 18 months now, and has been defeated time and time again: The reforms, the initiatives, the revolutions - they all remained in newspaper ink, wallowing in a sea of insults, barbs and mutual slandering between the minister and Supreme Court justices, between the minister and the state attorney's people. Ehud Barak and the rest of Labor's ministers could not have hoped for a more beautiful gift than Justice Minister Friedmann in Olmert's cabinet. They are scoring nothing but victories in their endless wrestling match against him. It was almost Saturday, the army officers were in the waiting room, holding their maps in their hands. Friedmann kept at it. At a certain point, Barak lost patience. "Daniel, I don't think we need to hear all the details," he said. "Why don't you move on to the issue at hand?" But Daniel went on and on. And if before the meeting any of the ministers entertained the slightest doubt about the usefulness of that committee, then by the end of that meeting they were all unanimous: It shall not come to pass. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Prisoner exchange Israel signs swap deal, begins exhuming bodies of Hezbollah guerillas. Provocative questions Gaydamak tells TAU student to 'shut up and go to hell' over Angola question.   1.   Verter 12:52  |  j10 07/07/08

Read & React Barak outlaws 36 NGOs for Hamas fundraising Responses: 149 Akiva Eldar: Terrorist reflected mood of thousands in J'lem Responses: 76 Yehuda Ben Meir: For a united J'lem, spare the terrorist's home Responses: 41 Israel to exhume bodies of Hezbollah men ahead of swap Responses: 33 More Headlines 01:19 Israel signs swap deal, begins exhuming bodies of Hezbollah guerillas 00:44 ANALYSIS / Ron Arad info crucial in advancing Hezbollah deal 01:22 Assad: Direct talks with Israel only after Bush leaves office 21:51 Olmert lambasts Labor for being unreliable and weak 02:51 Nazi hunters arrive in Chile seeking Mauthausen 'Dr. Death' 23:24 Israel to close Gaza crossings Tuesday in wake of mortar fire 22:26 Italy to expel Palestinian who took part in Achille Lauro cruise hijacking 02:53 Kinneret hits red line, endangering water quality 02:09 Accidents on Ayalon Freeway plummet after billboards removed 02:37 Russian-born U.S. billionaire offers to buy Ma'ariv 22:49 Katsav to Treasury: Give me a luxury car, lavish Tel Aviv office 19:18 Ahmadinejad: Israel and U.S. won't dare attack Iran 18:13 Just 10 of 66,000 Holocaust survivors' heirs get assets back 21:31 Abbas meets with Islamic Jihad leader in Syria, but no sign of Hamas encounter Previous Editions Select Day 07 jul 06 jul 04 jul 03 jul 02 jul 01 jul 30 jun 29 jun 27 jun 26 jun 25 jun 24 jun

Special Offers Advertisement Dan Hotels Israel Live the Legend & experience an Unforgettable Summer Vacation Yossi Avrahami Presents: New Luxurious Projects in North Tel Aviv & Eilat Jerusalem of Gold Luxury apartments in Jerusalem's finest location Holyland Park Jerusalem Apartment Tower World Class Luxury In the heart of Tel-Aviv The Meier on Rothschild tower Your vacation starts here Israel Travel Center Guaranteed Lowest Rates Hebrew Summer courses From $39.95 Pardes Institute Summer Sessions http://www.pardes.org.il/ Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

birthright Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved