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Findings of the well documented ‘Zeiler Report‘ in which a number of high ranking police officials have been implemented as being involved in close connections with organized crime, has reached the top of the Israeli Police Force, resulting in the announced resignation of Chief Police Commander Moshe Karadi.

Karadi, whose appointment to the post has been controversial from the outset, has been found to be involved with a number of underworld characters in scandalous activity not unlike characters in the American cinema series “The Godfather”, starring Marlon Brando and Mario Puzo. Another high ranking police official, Deputy Commander Avi Navon, has also been recommended for dismissal, even by Karadi himself who must be thinking that “if I go, others will too”

Karadi’s announced replacement, as noted by Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter, is none other that Chief Prison Warden Yaacov Ganot, pictured above, who himself was accused several years back of a number of wrongdoings, including bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. Although supposedly cleared of these crimes, Ganot, who is a close friend of Karadi, and one the outgoing Commander can trust to carry on his ’special programs’, is a good example of the old saying that “two bad apples destroy the whole barrel. The Zeiler Commission, headed by one of the country’s most respected judges, Vardi Zeiler, has a few words to note about Warden Ganot, whose close association with Karadi leaves many wondering about the entire affair.

One of the strongest critics of the Ganot appointment is from former Supreme Court Jusrice Yitzhak Zamir; and a petition has been filed in protest of Ganot’s appointment by Dichter.

The full text of the Zeiler Report will soon be available, and then we can all read it and see just how low these guys can go! Corruption seems to be ripe everywhere, and it’s not helping to improve this country’s image abroad. Not that other countries have been immune to this kind of problem; American law enforcement officials were once heavily involved with gangland personalities, especially during the 1920’s and ’30s.

Karadi’s announced replacement, if actually placed in this position will certainly be under close scrutiny from the day he takes office. Mr. Dichter may have been a bit too hasty in choosing Ganot, and surely there are many qualified and reputable candidates in the Police Administration hierarchy. Surely, the entire “barrel” has not yet become rotten. The much needed reform in the Police, though talked about in recent times, apparently still needs to take place, and for many long-time “coppers” its still business as usual. What many are now wondering is what kind of “business” is being carried out.