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Another Peres photo-op
Photo: Rafi Daluia
Colette Avital - a better candidate

Peres doesn't get it

Shimon Peres should focus on photo ops with movie stars, forget about presidency

I assume that had the presidential elections taken place now, despite President Moshe Katsav's temporary absence, Shimon Peres would win. Or almost win. The Labor party had to choose a candidate who would face Peres and bring honor to the presidential institution, while being smart enough, good enough, and interesting enough- and therefore it nominated Colette Avital.

 

Avital was a diplomat with a vision, and did a great job on behalf of Israel's Foreign Service in difficult times as well. True, she does not know the State of Israel's forefathers, but she lives here and understands the country's troubles. And she isn't a master of clever statements and impromptu remarks.

 

The photos of Peres this week with a French movie star, after he was chasing an American star earlier, and before that so many other actors, singers, or anyone whose name appears in the newspaper often – this should have been the last straw.

 

Peres has no reason to force his way into every location that features cameras. He arrives at every opening, even that of an envelope. He would take a special flight for a photo opportunity with Sudan's beauty queen. Those who accept every invitation minimize the value of the act, because they are always there and always will be there.

 

Israel needs a president with honor, who chooses where to come and where not to come, even if a party for an important filmmaker such as Amos Gitai is as important as life itself.

 

Israel should go back to presidents such as Yitzhak Navon, who brought much honor to the post, or Shazar, or Yitzhak Ben-Zvi, who was both honorable and erudite - we do not necessarily need those who became presidents by default.

 

She's got the look

Peres has no reason to sets his sights on the presidency this time around. He should travel to Hollywood and connect to Aki Avni and the other famous Israeli stars, so he can be photographed with them as much as he wants. If he finds a double, he can be photographed twice in the same hour.

 

Colette Avital does not rush to be photographed with every movie star that comes to Israel. Still, she is among our best cultural representatives, and I'm not biased as she represented me very little. Yet she did a wonderful job in Paris and Portugal.

 

She is a young-mature woman, with a pleasant appearance: in plain Hebrew we can say she's got the "look." Avital is an erudite person.

 

She won't make an effort to be well liked, but rather, will attempt to do something so that our poor country will have a little more honor. She's someone the Labor party should be proud of, and the country should be proud to see her as a president with something to say, as opposed to Peres.

 

And as opposed to Peres, she will be chosen in free elections, without requiring an "Avital Law." She would also know what she is talking about, and not only say what the listener wants to hear.

 

I would hope that not every choice is political, and not every president is someone who has no other use for his party - and Peres is its default.

 

A non-political election of Colette Avital would give expression to a modest, to-the-point, and smart woman, who would give expression to Israel's highest common denominator, and a (female) savior shall come to the land and bring peace and honor and beauty to the presidential residence.

 


פרסום ראשון: 03.23.07, 05:19
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