When Uri Bank was called up for millu'im (IDF reserve duty) on Sunday, he went.So did hundreds of others. So what, you may ask, is the big deal?
You see, Uri Bank is also a candidate running for K'nesseth (Israeli Parliament), holding the #5 spot on the National Union/HaTikvah Party list.
He could be out there campaigning. Time is of the essence. Elections are only a month away. But rather than try to finagle his way out of it, he met his obligation, and went to serve along side the thousands of other reservists who have recently been called up.
A source within the National Union campaign revealed that in a personal conversation, Uri said, "It's my duty."
Born in Detroit, and raised in Chicago, Uri made aliyah with his family at the age of 12. Years later, when his parents needed to return to the U. S., Uri opted to stay, and to serve in the IDF as a hayal boded (soldier alone in Israel).
Now, in millu'im, while the IDF attempts to stop the rocket fire and all other Hamas terrorist action hailing from Azza, Uri Bank once again demonstrates that he stands by his principles.
9 comments:
Indeed, a principled person!
he sounds like a good guy. I am from chicago but don't know him.....
he should be healthy and come out of this unscathed, as should all our soldiers of course.
If I were going to be cynical (or sympathy for the devil's advocate), I would say that for a border-line (or less) candidate for a first-term, this will get him more publicity than any other electioneering ploy, especially as some would say that this whole operation is to boost Kadima and Labour ..... but then again I'm not going to be cynical I'll just reiterate (Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V) that he should be healthy and come out of this unscathed, as should all our soldiers of course.
He is the cousin of someone here in Highland Park, NJ (my local friend just wrote that on Facebook). My friend says he is very proud of his cousin!
Asher,
I am pretty cynical, and have become suspicious of most all politicians, right, left, and in the middle, especially the middle.
I will devil's advocate your devil's advocacy: Seeing as this is a Kadima/Labor election ploy, the timing that is, I believe that the Kadima/Labor favoring media would be quick to accuse those like Uri Bank of election ploy-ism.
I can say that I know he did not have ANY intention of making a big deal out of it. That was completely MY idea.
We'll see how it plays out.
Lo, Rafi, and Leora,
Thanks for commenting.
He is not a marginal candidate trying out an election ploy. He is the only Anglo candidate in a realistic slot. Number five in National Union is a good place and he has a high chance of getting in. If this were a ploy, then its a good one. I wonder how he got them to call him up to abandon his campaign midway though hmmmmm? Uri is a man doing what needs to be done even though he probably could get out of it.
I wrote something that came out rather long so I put it at
http://sffooks.blogspot.com/2009/01/all-this-started-as-reply-to-posting-at.html
http://esseragaroth.blogspot.com/2009/01/uri-bank-standing-by-his-principles.html
I would also emphasise here that I am not criticising the actions of Mr Bank, rather commending them, at the expense of elder, jaded politicians.
http://sffooks.blogspot.com/2009/01/all-this-started-as-reply-to-posting-at.html
that is what I meant to link to, what I meant to link to.
http://sffooks.blogspot.com/2009/01/all-this-started-as-reply-to-posting-at.html
what the heck, just press where it says Asher, I'll figure out the links sometime maybe in this lifetime if I'm lucky..
Thanks for sharing that about him. Nice to hear...
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