One of the worst social divides, which is widening in Israeli society, is the inconceivable gap between the heavy price which the defense of the country still commands and the hedonist values that a portion of the elite that leads society has embraced, followed by a substantial portion of the public at large.
This not only relates to outright corruption, such as has been attributed to the main characters in the Holyland case, and not only the political elite. It also applies to the hedonistic values that are not only an expression of actual conduct, but have also become a new kind of explicit ethos. The ultimate legitimate goal is maximizing profits and the pursuit of riches. It's a matter of looking after one's own interests, and the only limitations in the best-case scenario are limits imposed by the law.
The connection between the security situation and social norms involves several aspects...
Read the full article on the Haaretz website (originally published on April 18, 2010)
Mr. Yair Sheleg is a Senior Researcher at IDI.