Mr. President. President Katsav.
Setting aside for the moment that your indictment, though imminent, has not yet been issued, for the sake of the nation, you need to step down. It may be a pack of lies, it may all be true, but that really dosn’t matter now. The Presidency of Israel may be a ceremonial office, but when you stand accused of unceremonius acts, your stature as a symbol falters, and with it, that of the nation.
Its been a tough year decade existance for Israel and in case you hadn’t noticed, and though we’d never be left to forget it by our enemies, the Jewish State (e.g. the Jews) are already under world scrutiny and a historical bias (okay, call it periodic genocide if you will) for acts of which it matters not whether we are innocent or guilty. It matters only that we always under watch. In Europe, a Prime Minister could be convited of rape be not just applauded but re-elected for having done so. Moish, the whole country is up in arms over government after the War and its just bad timing. Nothing personal.
See, things aren’t going so well in Iraq for our biggest histroical financial backer and political ally, whose metaphorical train of state has derailed in our very own neighborhood. Add to that real mistrust of the Kadima government and resentment from all quarters, bitterness over bungling of the War on Hizballah and lack of progress on the Palestinian front and a growing threat from the settler /Lieberman front and rising global Anti-semitism.
And lest we forget, there’s the Iranian nuclear problem, which your being of Judeo-Persian extraction could actually have played a more than symbolic, moderating role. That lost opportunity alone is heartbreaking. Think of it, Moshe, you, a symbol of Zionism, an immigrant whose family arrived with nothing, spending your early years in a tent in a camp in the South, ascending to the Presidency. That’s a much better story than the one of scandal we’re hearing now. You could have been the man for the moment, but that can no longer be.
We’ve got bigger things to deal with Moshe and we have an image problem, so if you can’t live up to the symbolic role in charachter, at least live up to the role in your manner of leaving. If your accusers are all liars, fine, but don’t grant them credit by leveling conspiracy theories and lower the office you hold in the process. Spare Israel’s critics and our own genetic neuroses one less indignity. Simply resign.
