And so what are they spending their time arguing over? This crap:
No, I want the Israel Prize!
MK Yitzhak Levy (National Union-National Religious Party) said Wednesday he plans to ask the Israel Prize committee to collectively award Israel's most prestigious accolade to settlers evacuated from the Gaza Strip in 2005.
...Levy's suggestion came in response to a letter sent by MK Yoel Hasson (Kadima), recommending the award be given to former prime minister Ariel Sharon, whose decision to withdraw Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip resulted in the evacuation of the Gush Katif settlements.
That's right, the Israeli government can't figure out what to do about its educational system, about cronyism or corruption, about feeding the hungry, helping the homeless, or solving the Palestinian issue, but this, they make time for. Brilliant.
Let's look at the qualifications:
The prize is awarded in the following four areas, with the precise subfields changing from year to year:
-the humanities, social sciences, and Jewish studies
-the natural and exact sciences
-culture and art
-lifetime achievement (since 1972)
The recipients of the prize are Israeli citizens (or sometimes organizations) who have displayed particular excellence in their field, or who have contributed strongly to Israeli culture. The winners are selected by committees of judges, who pass on their recommendations to the Education Minister.
Pardon me, but I don't see how the Disengagement even qualifies here- no one, not even Sharon's biggest fans, could credibly argue that it was the defining point of his career. Claiming that they just happen to want to give Sharon's life recognition now doesn't wash, either. (For God's sake, Shamir and Eban didn't get theirs until 2001!) This is a political move to grant legitimacy to Kadima's for-all-purposes departed leader, and by implication, the party itself.
Similarly, there is, under the above criterion, no reason why the Gaza settlers, as a undifferentiated large mass, qualifies. What would you base this determination on? Did all 7,000 of them make "major" contributions to Israeli culture at the same time? How?
This is nothing more than playing tit-for-tat- while Sharon's nomination is questionable and certainly made in less-than-stellar faith, Levy's response is downright ridiculous, and even a little patronizing. "Yeah, settlers, I know you're all still living in trailers, but don't worry, I got you a prize! I figure we can melt it down and split it 7,000 ways." Please. Stop grandstanding in the Knesset and start doing more to actually help your supposed constitutents, especially if you're trying to show how much you "stand by them".
If you really want to hand out some prizes, how about giving the award to Israeli scientists and entrepeneurs who are helping the economy continually bounce back after terror attacks? Or humanitarian organizations who helped in the north during the last war?
To suggest giving a government prize to either side of the disengagement debacle so soon after it is not only shamelessly political but also largely symbolic- and the whole discussion is a waste of time and taxpayer money.
A prize isn't going to change anyone's mind one way or the other on whether or not the Disengagement was good or Sharon was right. AFAIK, the vast majority of the settlers acted with dignity and restraint, as did many of the rank-and-file IDF. For that they should be commended. (Though it already seems sad and a little absurd to talk about giving these groups an award for having the civility to NOT attack each other.)
Bringing the Israel Prize into this doesn't help anyone- it just corrupts whatever respectability the award still holds.
Congrats, Knesset.
No comments:
Post a Comment