Israel Matzav

Israel's new 'diplomats'

Yisrael sent me an article that appeared on the Walla website yesterday (link in Hebrew, but I'm about to translate for you) that indicates that Supreme Court Chief Justice Dorit Beinish has become a diplomat:

Two weeks ago, United States ambassador Richard Jones met with Supreme Court Chief Justice Dorit Beinish and asked for clarifications regarding the approval after the fact of building in the settlements and regarding the separation fence route.

It was reported on Israel Radio that, from a report that the Ambassador filed with the State Department in Washington, Beinish explained to him that approval of building plans after the fact is not unusual in Israel. Similarly, the Justice expressed hope that within a reasonable time, the government will implement the court's decisions regarding the separation fence route.

Does anyone know of any other country in the world where another power's ambassador consults with Supreme Court justices regarding diplomatic matters? I don't.

It gets better. Israel Radio reported this morning that we have one hundred and twenty new diplomats who did not have to have any tests or screening to attain their positions. Can you guess who they are? Your clue is the number one hundred and twenty. Yes, the Knesset decided last night - by a 21-5 vote that shows real careful consideration of the consequences - to issue diplomatic passports to all of its one hundred and twenty members. The five who voted against represent a cross-section of the Knesset from Zvi Hendel (who was expelled from his home in Gush Katif two summers ago) on the right to Shelly Yechimovitch (one of the most left-leaning Labor MK's who used to host the show on which this news was presented) on the left.

You ask why it matters? The main consequence of traveling on a diplomatic passport is that you pass through security checks without being searched. Given the 'Palestinians' bent for smuggling money and terrorists (if not weapons) under similar circumstances, I would not want to be on a flight with one of the ten 'Israeli-Arab' MK's. You never know when one of them might decide to become a 'martyr.'

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:38 AM