32 thoughts on “Israeli Education Minister Rumored Enmeshed in Sex Scandal, Haaretz Censored Report – Tikun Olam תיקון עולם إصلاح العالم
task-attention.png
Comments are published at the sole discretion of the owner.
 

    1. I translated cheyshek as “power.” Which is different than your translation. I’ll consult with other Hebrew speakers & change it if I got it wrong. Thanks.

      Update: I’ve changed the translation to reflect your correction. But I don’t understand why Klein would say that journalists have a responsibility to inform the public about these matters, but that the public doesn’t have any interest in protecting or advancing that right. It’s a bit strange. THough I guess he may be saying that the public isn’t interested in supporting journalists’ desire to get at the truth of such scandals, which would be depressing.

      1. My translation, via the German “hat keine Lust” which maps directly to the Ivrit. The English does not feel like, has no desire, has no inclination comes closest. English has no good one-to-one translation of “eyn lo hesheK”; the closest is the above.

        1. yes, inclination is a good choice although “cheyshek” evokes a passionate inclination.
          A good translation for “eyn li cheyshek” (I am not inclined) might be when Napoleon Bonaparte, busy with the complicated details of his next campaign says in a slow and flat voice… “….Not tonight Josephine”

      2. The translation was not wrong, just a little awkward.
        For someone doing so much news gathering and analysis, translation and writing, such a minor
        imperfection is to be overlooked.

        זכותו של הציבור לדעת, אבל אין לו חשק לממש את הזכות הזאת

        May I suggest……The public has a right to know but does not have the appetite (or desire) to exercise that right.

        I think “cheyshek” is more desire or appetite, something moody.

        The point (as I see it) is that the supposedly very outspoken Israeli public has become strangely (אדיש) apathetic
        in the face of rampant corruption and misconduct on the part of its officials ( both elected and non elected).
        They know that something has gone wrong over the years but prefer to ignore the problem as if it might somehow
        fade away…………BIG MISTAKE!

  1. Yes, I saw this Klein column yesterday and couldn’t figure it out without the missing paragarph. The ending simply made no sense.

    An excellent topic for a website such as yours…

    btw, I agree with Uri above re the translation. “Heshek” is lust, and “Ein Heshek” simply mean “don’t feel like it”. Not power.

    Also, AFAIK Sa’ar might be a rising political star, but he has zero stature as a person. Who the heck is he? Just another corrupt right-wing hack. No personal qualities beyond that, whatsoever.

  2. Saar is ,or was, a rising star. Intelligent, Tel Avivi, shrewd.
    And a fascist, sure, but that’s popular.
    Would have been Netanyahu’s no. 2 and heir to the throne, or may still be.

      1. That is not one of your comment rules. At least not according to the “comment rules” section of your website. In fact, you explicitly write in the rules that there should be criticism. There is nothing in the posted rules saying that readers are not permitted to suggest what stories ought to be covered and which ones ought not to be covered. The only thing about editorial advice in the rules is with respect to how you edit the comment threads.

        1. Criticism is fine–of what I write. Not criticism saying I shouldn’t have written it at all. That’s an editorial decision that’s mine to make, not yours. Deal with what I’ve written & don’t give me advice that I shouldn’t have written it.

  3. Yeah, Richard, why don’t you try running a blog or something these people have read religiously for months and hypocritically groan about? Sheesh… 😉

    Censorship and creating “reality” through manipulating information — who isn’t guilty of even bias in some measure? Israel makes US media look like News for Idiots, especially when it comes to matters concerning the lobby that controls much of how everything goes in Washington nowadays with its various connections and influences. Flotilla? See page 15C.

    At least they had a piece about Zeev Tene’s new song, “Jew-Ish”. That’s an important step. You’d never see anything of the sort in America, land of controlled speech.

  4. Can a serious political carrier be launched after being Education minister? Checking…. Yup: Margaret Thacher! I think Saar is a hunter in spirit — while most game is not kosher, bagging a Polit Sc department at BGU would make a magnificent trophy indeed. But a war or hunt launched and finished before success may be a carrier ending move.

    Thacher, while controversial, was never accused of any impropriety. Mediterranean politics is much more tolerant in that respect, so perhaps Saar may have a bright future still.

  5. I am not familiar with Gidon Saar’s personal life and I dont’ think that anyone’s bedroom behavior is material for the press. That Israeli students don’t have a minimal grasp of history is an abomination. This is the censorship we should be worried about. This is what is prolonging the conflict. Instead of becoming a modern, cosmopolitan society, we are slipping at an alarming pace into tribal racism and ancestor worship.

    1. Read my earlier post from a year ago. He was accused on having sex with a minor, which in most countries including Israel is considered rape. But I generally agree with the other things you wrote.

      1. He was suspected, not “accused” of underage sex, and maybe or maybe not investigated.

        Subtle difference, but accused means indicted which means on a basis of hard evidence and not rumours.

        I think the story is more the cover up than whether he did anything. All Israeli pols have a skeleton in the closet, but only the lucky ones have connections to cover up

      2. quick correction for you, Richard.
        Having sex with a minor under the age of 16 is considered rape.
        Having sec with a minor at the age of 16-18 is legal.

        In my opinion, if it’s true, this should end his career.

        1. No, it isn’t. It’s called “CONSENSUAL prohibited coupling (or intercourse, if you prefer)”. See the “consensual” there? It matters. It’s a felony, but it isn’t rape.

          Note that I am not arguing for leniency towards child-abusers. I’m merely pointing out the actual law.

      3. “He was accused on having sex with a minor”.
        As I recall, in the story you posted then, it was rumoured that he disappeared for a while into a bathroom at a nightclub with a teenager. It was you who assumed that “teenager” meant “a minor” – she could just as easily have been 18 or 19 (and the age of consent for sex, in Israel, BTW, is 17). Also, it was you that assumed that disappearing with her into a bathroom meant they had sex.
        Now, I’m not saying she wasn’t a minor and I’m not saying they didn’t have sex – I’m merely saying that you made a lot of assumptions.

        1. I wouldn’t trust you or your memory. My source, a prominent Israeli journalist, told me he had sex with a minor. I asked him several times to be sure. He didn’t say that he disappeared into a bathroom. But h-a-d s-e-x. Capice?!

          I’m merely saying you’re a jerk. Sorry everyone who hasn’t had the pleasure of meeting this commenter before. And in case you think I’m being harsh. I’ve actually banned Simone, but this comment seemed merely obtuse rather than offensive or a comment rule violation, so I approved it.

      4. For the umpteenth time: Sex with a minor is NOT considered rape in Israel. The name of the offense is “coupling with a minor” and falls under “consensual prohibited coupling”. Whether or not you think it should be considered rape, in Israel it is not.

  6. Gideon Saar is a disgusting political figure, labouring hard to brainwash the innocent. He’s the very ugly face of latter day Zionism.

    It’s a safe bet that most people reading – let alone responding – to your posts, Richard, are far better humans than this lowlife is.

    Pursuing such bright yellow gossipy line, it seems to me you have gone somewhat further. You prove to be even holier than this miscreant.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *