Thursday, May 12, 2011

Israel police, pride and prejudice

Now mention one country in the Near East where even a former president can be interrogated about rape charges raised by a simple worker girl from the office.
Well, mention one such country from North Africa?
Europe? South America? North America?
Yes, such things are usually handled by squashing the accuser and her supporters by the powers that be, hidden under carpets and the rapists keep their honor and position.
The law enforcement people of Israel are justly a cause of pride to this struggling small democracy.
I still remember President Moshe Katzav sighing all so softly after another atrocity committed by Arabs "we are so different". And indeed, Israel is truly different but perhaps in somewhat other way that President Katzav had in mind.
One cannot overestimate the importance of such equality before the law, justice that is visible to all. It is like fresh oxygen to people and makes the nation feel good.
People feel sick under truly corrupt regimes where also the police force is controlled by lawless and evil people, organized crime and cannot imagine bringing to justice people in the top of the hierarchy. For example, Egyptians have been telling - now - about the things their local police did to them without inpunity They seek for better government and a police force they can trust.
Law enforcement and even legislation itself, court system up to the High Court, are under pressure in Israel more than in many other countries, totalitarian or democratic, and it takes much personal courage from those in charge to uphold what is right. Sometimes such decisions come with heavy personal price tag. Professionalism, international cooperation, highly skilled technicians, investigators and police force that understands their own people - gifts from God!
Israel Police can be brutally effective, as for example the students experienced under the previous premiership of Benjamin Netanyahu, when they were sent to break up student protests. The press was not kind about this. Israeli Arabs do have their experiences about the deadly efficiency of the police and there is prejudice. The situation is not simple in such a small country like Israel with so many different people!

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