Clear and Present Danger
Eyal Waldman: “I am already hearing from foreign investors that they prefer to go to places where the legal system has not been harmed"
"The damage to the legal authority is significant, and one of the most important things for businessmen is an independent legal entity that does its job and is strong against the other government bodies. When you want to invest, the first thing you want to know is if there is public order, if the legal system can give you relief in case you are caught in a crisis. I am already hearing from foreign investors that they prefer to go to places where the legal system has not been harmed. It is not only private individuals, but also banks and financial institutions that are afraid to give credit or guarantees against real estate or a bank account in Israel, for fear that when necessary, the legal system will not protect them.
"Beyond the question of how the world looks at us, it makes no sense to let someone with a criminal record in sensitive financial matters (Aryeh Deri) be the one in charge of the states’ budget. When there are several ministers with a criminal record and a prime minister under trial, it makes us look like a third world country, one which outsiders do not know what to expect from. And this is happening at the same time ministers are deliberately causing security tensions and treat security forces as militias.
"The election results must be respected, but we must return from an approach of polarization and move towards unity, and see how we continue to build a system that works well, one with three strong independent authorities that can work together."
Eyal Waldman is a high-tech entrepreneur, founder of Mellanox and investor.
