Israel report Jan

I don't know if it is an Israeli epidemic of it is pandemic – judging and proclaiming sentence when a mere whiff of suspicion is publicly announced before the facts are investigated. Trial by tabloid reigns and the most important words in the democratic legal process "Innocent until proven guilty" have gone by the wayside. We live in a world where rumour and gossip rule and truth is merely a bystander. While PM Olmert was Minister of Trade and Industry he encouraged overseas investors to bid in the sale of Bank Leumi. Several large investors were involved in the bidding, all of whom brought in by the Minister. The suggestion is that the Minister favoured one of the investors, however each of them has been declared the favourite at any given moment depending upon the newspaper!  This untethered finger pointing undermines the confidence of ordinary people and the confidence of the biggest investors in Israeli industry who are deeply concerned that their names will be dragged through the muck rather than lauded for their support of the Israeli economy. Political maneuverings and self-interest are master of this game. I do not know what the truth is but I do know that something is not right whether it be in the zenith of politics or the nadir of political journalism. If there is a genuine question over the legality of a public figures actions it should be investigated and proven before being released to a hungry press. I do not wish to be part of an end game which Israel loses, we have far greater battles to fight.