We would like to protest the unbridled attacks on you, which ignore your important work. These attacks are no more than outbursts of narrow-minded jealousy by people who do not have the heavy national responsibilities that rest on your shoulders. We have no doubt whatsoever that you deserve to the last penny the high monthly salary you received for your 17 years as CEO of Bank Leumi (about NIS 218,000 a month ), the millions you received on your retirement, and the NIS 3.25 million you received for what is called "extension of the period of non-competition."
One of the bank's directors explained that these huge sums are appropriate remuneration for the post of great responsibility you held. Indeed, the person responsible for the fact that the fees we paid to the bank were not used to fund the financial adventures of overseas tycoons should certainly receive the gratitude of all of us.
We also do not understand the fury over the brilliant trick that saved you NIS 750,000 in taxes, because after all, the trick proved to us that Israelis deposit their money in a bank whose leaders "think creatively."
No one in Israeli society bears such a heavy burden as does the CEO of a bank. It is far heavier than a doctor in a hospital; the CEO of a bank, who loses sleep over concern for the money the public has entrusted to him or her, is nothing like a hospital doctor who loses sleep because of night shifts. The CEO of a bank, because of his or her contribution to the state, deserves a much higher salary than a scientist or even a Nobel Prize laureate, who can only derive pleasure from the fact that thanks to him or her and to their colleagues, Israel's universities are ranked higher; certainly a bank CEO should earn a much higher salary than the likes of a social worker, a teacher or the employee of a pharmaceutical company. It is inconceivable to compare the heavy responsibilities of a bank CEO to any of these people.
We are also sure that, unlike ordinary citizens, you will know, thanks to your extensive experience, what to do with these huge sums. It is good thing you don't have to worry about small matters like how to help your children finance their university education or how to buy them a little apartment, and so you will have time to think big. The heads of simple citizens, some of whom are Bank Leumi's clients, might spin from such gigantic amounts of money. But you will certainly know where to invest this sum to make the most out of it and thus continue to make your contribution to the Israeli economy.
And so we support you, and say let those envious people just die of their jealousy. They bark a little but this caravan will soon pass and they will bark at someone else. A banker must be graced with toughness too, and so we hope you are not hurt by the fact that some slanderous people cannot appreciate the extent of your achievements and be grateful to you.
What shall we wish for you? Let us wish that now, after the heavy burden of responsibility has been lifted from your shoulders and transferred to your successor, who is following in your footsteps, you can finally stop worrying about the general good and start looking after yourself.
