Grapevine, February 18 2024: Fighting an IDF injustice

IDF injustices on common law couples 

Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation’s Reshet Bet radio and KAN 11 television military reporter Carmella Menashe who not only deals with hardcore military affairs but also with human interest stories that bring injustices in the IDF and the Defense Ministry to public attention, recently highlighted the story of Margarita, whose common law husband was killed in action while serving in the war against Hamas.

Although they had lived together for several years as a family, the couple never tied the knot in the legal sense. She came to the union as a single mother. He was divorced and treated her son as if he were his biological father. They lived in a rented apartment in one of the southern cities in which the fallen soldier had been born. When he fell in battle, no one in uniform came to knock at Margarita’s door to tell her the sad tidings. She was not officially the soldier’s wife, and the defense establishment, therefore, saw no reason to inform her.

She found out in a round-about fashion. No one came to comfort her in grief, and she was not consulted about the funeral arrangements. No one helped her to arrange the Shiva. She does not want to take from his previous family, whatever assets they are legally entitled to. All she wants is for the defense establishment or the National Insurance Institute to help her pay the rent on the apartment. 

Not only are common law spouses treated as if they don’t exist, so are fiancées and girlfriends, who are often left to mourn alone without the comfort of a shoulder to cry on or a neighbor to bring a cake as comfort food.

To be insensitive to the feelings of someone who has lost a loved one is beneath contempt. It’s time for the women in the Knesset to launch a campaign on behalf of women in common law relationships. If they are not supported by male legislators they should ask them if they have daughters with boyfriends currently fighting in Gaza or the North, and how they would react if the boyfriends fall in battle and their families don’t want the girlfriends at the shiva. We all have to learn to put ourselves in the shoes of the other – especially when it comes to issues of human decency.

Controversial cable car plan for Jerusalem 

■ NOTWITHSTANDING THE fact that experts have stated that the introduction of a cable car network in East Jerusalem would not solve transportation problems to the Old City and would be detrimental to its character and spoil the city skyline, the High Court, 18 months ago, dismissed all objections to and petitions against the construction of a cable car network from Mount Zion to the Western Wall, writes Nir Hasson in Haaretz. 

The plan was approved by the government in 2019. Now, five years and NIS 30 million, later, together with the expropriation in Silwan of Palestinian properties and the uprooting of olive trees which provided Palestinian residents of the area with a livelihood, the state cannot find an international construction company willing to take on the cable car project. If both national and local governments ignore the will of the people, how is it that they get re-elected? The answer is simple: The most suitable people for government roles don’t want to soil their hands or their reputations in the political quagmire.

The cable car is one of several projects that are not going anywhere fast, but on which millions of shekels that could have been allocated to the needy or to building additional hospital wings, have simply been wasted.

Russian figure is new Tel Aviv University donor 

■ ALSO IN Haaretz is an intriguing story that places Anatoly Chubais, a former politician and an extremely influential figure in Russia’s free market economy, plus close relations, with a series of Presidents of the Russian Federation, as among the donors of a new center for Russian Studies at Tel Aviv University.

The Cummings Center for Russian and Eastern European Studies has existed at TAU for quite some time, but there are several people of Russian background who want a more comprehensive center, and Chubais is apparently one of them.

A long-time advisor to President Vladimir Putin, Chubais did not approve Russia’s incursion into Ukraine and resigned his role as head of the president’s administration in March 2022, a month after the start of the war, and left Russia.

Haaretz interview with Israel's former top pollster

■ ONE LAST mention of Haaretz. In the paper’s entertainment supplement which includes articles about people who are not exactly part of the entertainment industry, but appear frequently on television, there was an interview last week with Mina Tzemach, who for the best part of half a century, was regarded as Israel’s top pollster.Every time there were new elections, she and rivals would sit on a television panel just a few minutes before the initial but still unofficial results were announced and give their assessments based on the exit polls. Tzemach was almost always close to the final outcome. 

Then came her nemesis year of 2019. She was way off the mark and later attributed her failure to Likud voters having lied about their votes. As a result of being so inaccurate, Tzemach went into voluntary retirement, but still enjoys watching politicians on television and determining without obligation, where they stand with the public, In her opinion, Benjamin Netanyahu has lost his charisma and Likud will not do well in the next elections.

Israel's inspiring paralympic athletes  

■ OVER THE past four months, countless soldiers and civilians have brought pride to Israel through their courage, their initiatives and their ingenuity. Among the civilians who bring pride to Israel year after year are the athletes who compete in paralympic games and bring home many medals including a remarkable number of gold medals. A high ratio of these athletes are ex-service men and women who were wounded in action, often suffering the loss of limbs. In some cases, sports have been intrinsic to their rehabilitation, and there have been paralympic champions, who, confronted with challenges that they never faced previously, have more than proved their mettle. Overcoming challenges appears to be part of the Israeli DNA.

The Paralympics Committee has a growing number of patrons, the most recent being Pango, which has given the committee its patronage for 2024. The support includes funding for special sports related projects designed to help the war wounded to rehabilitate themselves and become reintegrated into society. In addition to financial support, Pango will give discounts to paralympic champions.

Chairman of the Paralympic Committee, Moshe Mutz Matalon was particularly appreciative of Pango joining the paralympic family at such an uneasy period when Israel is at war, and there is so much uncertainty about the future. But he was sure that Pango had chosen to support the paralympic athletes because of their motivation and achievements.

This was confirmed by Pango CEO Yonatan Elon who said that Pango was pleased to support paralympic sport which gives every athlete an equal opportunity to realize a dream.

Pango as an Israeli company which aims for excellence, wants to be associated with any Israeli enterprise whose members, in recognition of their victories, are able to carry the national flag aloft.

From wartime spokespeople to reality star 

■ IT’S COMMON knowledge that Eylon Levy, one of the best known of the government’s wartime spokespeople, has a very expressive face and an impressive gift of the gab. But can he dance? Ynet published last Wednesday that Levy had auditioned for the next season of Dancing with the Stars, but the result had not been made public at that time. The manner in which Levy pranced around when he served as spokesman to the international media for the President of the State, gave the impression that he’s probably quite a good dancer. If he does dance in the upcoming season of Dancing with Stars, television viewers should not only focus on his twinkle toes, but also on the socks covering them. Levy has quite a collection of brightly patterned, eye-catching footwear.greerfc@gmail.com