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By Ira Sharkansky
 JERUSALEM—Should Israel be scorned because the former prime minister is said to have helped himself to financial favors during his service in increasingly important government offices on the way to the top? Or be praised for indicting him on charges of fraudulent receipt of goods, false registration of corporate documents, fraud, breach of trust, and tax evasion?
And should it be scorned because its former president is alleged to be a sexual predator, or praised for indicting him on charges of rape and sexual harassment?
Even those who praise Israel for cleaning its house may criticize it for taking so long. Investigations went on for years before the Attorney General handed down indictments, and the trials may be even longer.
Justice, and the closely related legitimacy of criticism are deeply rooted in Jewish doctrine. Israelis who do not study sacred texts acquire the traits somewhere else.
Should one doubt the presence of criticism, it is only necessary to look at the front page of the country's most distinguished newspaper the day after the Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu spoke to the United Nations General Assembly.
Praise of a speech carried live in Israeli and international media? Think again.
The big headline in Ha'aretz was that Netanyahu severely criticized leaders of the world, and demanded that they decide if they are on the side of Israel or terrorists. The smaller headline was that the hall was almost empty.
Three commentaries began on the front page.
None of them were complimentary. They criticized Netanyahu for lowering Israel's prestige by getting down to the level of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and displaying German documents indicating that the Holocaust did, in fact, occur. They also charged him with historical inaccuracies or misleading comparisons between the actions of allies in World War II and Israel's attack on Gaza. The critics argued that Netanyahu was exhibiting his usual bombast, talking to an Israeli audience
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despite doing it in English, and saying little that would gain support in international forums.
The newspaper's editorial chided the prime minister for claiming victory at the United Nations
It is only natural for Netanyahu to accentuate the points of agreement with Obama and attempt to soften their disagreements. . . His momentary "victory" might be the country's loss.
Fair criticism? Or picking on the prime minister by a newspaper several units to the left on the country's political spectrum?
The common element in all the items is the assertion that Netanyahu's activity at the United Nations will not add to Israel's prestige, world support, or well being.
Who really knows what works in the amorphous competition for public opinion and international politics? Was Netanyahu's speech and his other UN activity less wise or productive than those of Barack Obama, Ahmadinejad, Moammar Gadhafi, or anyone else? So far there is no evidence that Security Council members will do anything tangible, like vote meaningful sanctions against Iran or North Korea. Or soften their criticism of Israel.
So what?
That is the most important question, and it will take a while to answer it.
Will anyone remember this week at the United Nations next year, or ascribe any importance to it?
That is a more detailed question, and it will take at least a year to answer it.
More immediate is our responsibility in this self critical culture to think of our sins, as well as remembering those who died in the Yom Kippur War.
צום כל, וגמר חתימה טובה.
For those whose computers are not tuned to the Lord's aleph bet, May you have a easy fast, and be inscribed for a good year.
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