Barak's dubious buddies

Mr. Defense, the analytical mind, the great promise, the man who crushed the Labor party and who left behind scorched earth, now wants to lead the proletarian once more. He wants to ride it and use it to return to the Prime Minister's Office.

The old lady from Nahariya died long ago

Soon he'll be promising us a peace agreement with Syria, uprooting of illegal West Bank outposts, concern for the poor, investment in education, expansion of the police force and a war against corruption. Soon, he'll again pull out the old lady from Nahariya and will assure us that she'll be removed from the corridors. He doesn't know that she died ages ago.

Barak is Benjamin Netanyahu's twin brother, including the motor skill defects in the palm of their hands when it comes to dolling out payments and expenses, and he has good reason to embark on a long voyage of begging for forgiveness.

But even now he seems confused: This voyage shouldn't begin with meetings with politicians and dubious businessmen. It shouldn't begin with peace talks with those who only think of their personal gains rather than the good of the State. He shouldn't be going in that direction.

Barak should be asking forgiveness from the poor neighborhoods, the hospitals he neglected, from the best education minister we ever had, Yossi Sarid, who was brutally ousted thanks to him, and he should also ask forgiveness from the legal system.

No such skeletons in their closets

The straw associations' scandal and his shameful abandonment of them while leaving the wounded in the field are still poignant memories. Ami Ayalon and Ophir Pines-Paz, his two political rivals, don't have such skeletons in their closets.

Barak is seeking to return to power at a time when it is clearly evident that corruption poses an existential threat to the State, but he is behaving as though he hasn't heard of it. Who, for example, is that prominent man Barak has brought back to the stables after a prolonged dispute and severing of ties?

Comrade Shimon Sheves, the man who was charged with fraud and breach of trust and who exploited his status at the Prime Minister's Office to advance private business with friends, and that by sheer coincidence those very same friends, hired him upon his retirement. They are the ones who poured hundreds of thousands of Shekels into his account.

No memory lapse

Hence, here is the great savior – the new Barak. For a moment we were convinced that an error had occurred, and that Napoleon suffered a memory lapse, until it became apparent that Barak is currently embracing a new admirer: Avraham Burg. Avraham Burg, the same man who was involved in various scandals, is now a fervent Barak supporter. Yes, you heard correctly.

It's that same Burg whose name was linked to various public scandals in the capacity of Knesset speaker; it's that same Burg who formed ties with businessmen charged with criminal offenses; it's that same Burg who Matti Golan in his Globes newspaper column has repeatedly pleaded with to return the expensive car he received from the Jewish Agency for life along with a driver (as per former practices that has meanwhile been cancelled by the current administration), but he refuses.

Barak of course also has the support of Isaac Herzog from the straw association scandal, the man who insisted on his right to remain silent while being questioned by police. And there's another saintly person roaming his courtyard: Former minister Salah Tarif. Tarif was charged with fraud and bribery, his appeal was rejected and he was supposed to find himself far from any political activity. This didn't happen. Yes, he keeps turning up at party meetings as if he'd never erred.

Now it has become apparent that Barak has taken him under his wing in the hope that he would enlist the support of the Druze sector. The romance between the two is open and known, and it is not the only one of its type.

Barak swoops in on anyone he believes can help his election campaign; he turns a blind eye when necessary and seeks a few fig leaves for himself. He has no choice. Ami Ayalon with his clean hands, his impressive appearance and grand military record has created a problem for him.

How will he overcome it? Barak will inevitably find a creative solution, don't worry. Ayalon will get up one fine morning to discover that the party has found itself a king: A thorny bush.