The decision not to press charges against Eyal Golan was appropriate. That famous Israel Defense Forces adage -- if there is doubt, then be extra careful -- carried the day. In a criminal case, if prosecutors feel they cannot prove guilt, they will not issue an indictment. Now some are going to say that Golan was given a bum rap. That is not true. Investigators had to exhaust all avenues as they pursued the case. He did pay a heavy price because of his celebrity status, such as when custom officials had him undergo unnecessary scrutiny at Ben-Gurion International Airport. But all celebrities must know that they could be subject to such treatment. They get to enjoy the limelight and star treatment, and the cameras are still there when they go through a rough patch. Golan was not entitled to any special treatment just because of his fame, even though the public reaction his case generated was anything but ordinary. Although the probe is over, it seems that Golan will be held accountable by the public, unlike other public officials who have avoided public criticism despite their conduct. I am talking about politicians who accepted bribe money; mayors who embezzled funds; tycoons who failed to uphold proper ethics. Having been cleared of illegality, they have held their heads up high as if they were as pure as driven snow. Those who have been acquitted by a court of law try to paint themselves as victims of a hostile and convoluted legal system. The phrases "let the public render its judgment" or " set a public norm" have been worn thin by their conduct. Not only have public norms been hurt, they have been obliterated altogether. A former prime minister who was convicted on a major crime and still stands trial on a separate affair is nonetheless asked to represent certain organizations in various functions and help their fund-raising apparatus. He is even allowed to take the podium at a university event. Then there is the case of that rabbi who was found guilty of a major crime and still teaches his students as if nothing happened. It did not occur to him that he should be quietly seated at the back of the synagogue for years to come. Likewise, there are those mayors who have been indicted on major corruption counts and now disregard the spirit of the High Court of Justice as they stay on the job and pretend nothing is wrong. But finally -- for the first time in many years -- it is not business as usual. Even though Golan's actions failed to meet the necessary threshold for facing criminal charges (and rightly so), he still has a few questions to answer in the court of public opinion, which has its own set of norms. Any individual whose public conduct fails to follow such norms will be rendered a social outcast, even though he has no official criminal record. The problem goes beyond Golan. A boycott of Golan should not be organized from the top down. Rather, we should let individuals decide for themselves. If it turns out that Golan loses his luster over time (not just in the immediate future), then we will have experienced the big comeback of Israeli society, as it re-embraces the vital norms of a Jewish democracy that upholds the law, and even more so, ethics.
