Spying on Scandals

By popular demand I have been asked to put a halt to my laziness and address my online fan club with what they want: juicy details of my self styled gossip page life. Well true to form I had serious multi-cultural mid-week drinkage. A european coworker of C had birthday drinks at a georgian restaurant to which half of the mid 30s diplomatic corp of Tel Aviv was invited. I met an envoy from germany, an indian-canadian security expert, a counsul from the republic of eire, and a whole bunch of wives and husbands, not to mention the "europeans" (EU staff) themselves. The crowd was bordering on espionage. They all had this way of talking: alot of "between me and you", "off the record", "unofficially" and my favorite "someone told me..." I got some nice info (yes I am self impressed, just like these 30 somethings getting DANGER PAY for living in country with a crime rate 1/1000th that of their home countries). Well I dont want to repeat it here in the middle of cyberspace, but suffice it to say that alot of talking head pundits on Fox arent too far off the mark. It made me feel special - like I was a small but significant tweed wearing scientist who may have some secrets burried in his brain to which the 007s of this world must try and gain access. Did I mention I had enough zubrovka to drown a georgian bison in Alexander Litvinenkos polonium infested miso soup?

Speaking of politics for those of you who dont follow the ins and outs of Israeli politics it reads like the gossip collumn of Variety. Or make that the crime section of the Harlem Times. Basically these days, the highest echelon of the Israeli political elite have a serious problem keeping their hands off women. The Justice Minister Haim Ramon, has just been found guilty of forcing a 21 year old soldeir to kiss him (there is irony in a justice minister getting convicted). I think what angered the country so much is not just that he forced his tongue down her throat, but that he did it a few minutes before a cabinet meeting on the second day of the war with Lebanon. Two IDF soldiers are being tortured in some hole in Beirut, the country's about to go to war to rescue them and the justice minister is smooching a 21 year old subordinate. Great. Far more serious is the Presdient of Israel (a mainly ceremonial position), Moshe Katsav will be indicted on charges of rape, sexual harrasment, more sexual harassment and more rape. RAPE!!! How can the president of a democracy be a rapist? Its sick. To be fair I dont believe in trial by media and the man is innocent until proven guilty, but still the alegations and (possible) indictment are enough. Last but not least the right honorable Prime Minister is being questioned basically over insider trading - on when he knew what regarding the privatisation of one of Israels largest banks (Leumi - my bank as it happens). And it doesnt end there. Omri Sharon, the son of the vegetable former prime minister Ariel, could face prison over illegal fund raising. Oh and did I mention theres a low level civil war raging in Gaza and yesterday there was the first suicide attack inside Israel in 9 months (it killed 3 bakers) ...