Politicians aren't born corrupt, they grow into it
Op-ed: Strict rules must be set for elected representatives' conduct in every given moment of their public life.
You're familiar with the searching-ingratiating-fawning look of a child caught with his fingers in the jam jar, and the howling siren that erupts when he is told that such behavior is unacceptable. The parent is determined not to give in to the child, otherwise how will he learn between right and wrong?
People are not born politicians either. They grow into their positions, but as soon as they receive enough trust from the public to serve as its representatives, they become far too often like children who have never been told "no."
Yet unlike two-year-olds, politicians do know right from wrong, and do know what to do if they get caught. The moral rot sets in when there is no one to tell them "no."
Because, after all, temptation is everywhere. The salary isn't great, but the benefits are sky-high. Here’s an invitation from the government of Nowhere for a one-week visit to Nowhere's heritage and ski sites. First-class flights, with the wife of course - and the kids. Aren't Israel's transportation ties with Nowhere important? And the company they have there, right next to the ski site, which builds buses – won't we just take a look, at the hosts' request? And when it's time to approve bus imports, won't we have a warm spot in our heart for those good people of Nowhere who gave us such a good time?
The weight of national interest
This example may be imaginary, but the way it plays out is painfully close to reality.
How many times has this been our prime minister? We don't know yet. The state comptroller's report published Thursday indicated that some of Benjamin Netanyahu's flights abroad with his family were funded by external sources; but the issue is sensitive, it is being handled separately and we will hear more about it in the future.
We will also hear about other ministers and their deputies and their wives and children who have traveled here and there, and it's a harsh blow to the integrity we rightfully expect from our elected representatives. They should carry the national interest as a weight across their shoulders, and we should pay our taxes easily and sleep peacefully at night, knowing that they are indeed carrying that burden.
But when even in the most incidental and marginal discussions, the minister favors Nowhere's interests over those of Israel, we are seeing the same betrayal of the public trust that Judge David Rozen spoke about in his ruling for the Holyland affair. At this point, we have to stop believing the elected representative and start asking questions about his integrity.
Because it turns out that until now, our elected representatives could have shrugged and asked – not unlike the child with the jam – "What exactly did I do? It was all legal. I broke no rules."
This is exactly what former Knesset speaker Dalia Itzik claimed after jetting off with her husband somewhere. It's at the expense of someone else's government, her supporters will say. And that is precisely the problem, for this is how it begins.
Cleaning house
There are no procedures, there are no rules. It is not written anywhere that it's forbidden, and the budget for scented candles and pistachio ice cream is not explained anywhere. There is nowhere where it is writ, "Thou shalt not associate with the wheeler dealers and tycoons, or thou shalt suffer long before the next elections."
It has never been said, "Don't befriend foreign gas franchisers," and the connection between this and what eventually reaches the courtroom, in the form of envelopes from Morris Talansky or gifts from Shmuel Dechner, has never been discussed.
But the connection should be very clear. The person who should make it clear is none other than the state comptroller, who had launched an inquiry into these trips, but cannot stop there.
In order to clean house of the mountains of corruption, one must start digging, exposing layer after layer: The trips that stand out because they were recorded; the time spent by our representatives not doing the job they were elected to do; the people with whom they frequently associate; the lobbyists who come and go to their offices as wanted guests, and the connection between them and government votes; the consultation services former ministers like Ehud Barak then offer foreign companies; the capital to be gained by the good friends of the government of Nowhere.
So now we have two options: Either all of this will come under the close scrutiny of State Comptroller Joseph Shapira, with the help of the media, and extremely strict rules will be set for elected representatives for any given moment of their public life, or only a small, but very shameful, part of it will reach the courts.
After all, no one is born corrupt. You grow into it when there is no one to tell you "no."
