The person in question may be detested, a scoundrel, and beneath contempt.
But the person's RANK, the person's POSITION, demands respect.
Therefore, the incumbent at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, District of Columbia, while deserving of Israelis' distrust and disgust, still deserves the Israelis' - and Americans' - respect as president of the United States. For Israel, the US remains Israel's biggest financial backer.
When I was in the Flyin' Corps, back when Hector was a pup and the Brothers Wright first became airborne, I learned, along with other basic trainees, that we were NOT saluting some jerk 2nd lieutenant (ensign to sailors or O1 to all branches), we were saluting the bars on the jerk's shoulders; we were saluting the RANK, not the PERSON.
I personally have no respect the man in the White House. As far as I'm concerned, the government house has lacked a respectable resident for many years - dating back well before the current occupant took up residency. The same holds true for the temporary resident at One Observatory Circle, also in Washington D.C.
I am a Beginite - I have no use for Ben Gurion and his apprentice Rabin; I cannot forgive them for the Altalena (see note at bottom). Peres is, to my mind, a disgrace as president of Israel. My respect for Netanyahu is zero; I consider him "du panim" and as firm in his expressed convictions as a sheaf of wheat in a 60 mph wind gust.
BUT, despite my hearty dislike of the aforementioned politicians, I MUST, however reluctantly, show respect due the position.
While some American Jews are encouraging Israeli Jews to disrespect the American president, I have to suggest otherwise. That does not mean to refrain from expressing displeasure over some of the president's obviously misguided policies, but it does mean to express the displeasure in "acceptable" means. I detested Rabin; the only thing for which I considered him useful was as a sleeping aid. Despite my feelings toward the man, I never would have considered assassination nor do I condone it now. He was, at the time, Israel's prime minister.
The same. holds true for the so-called chief rabbis. The POSITION deserves respect, even if the person filling the position does not.
It is one thing for cartoonists and comedians to poke fun at the "high and mighty" as individuals - I'm thinking in particular of David Levy at the aquarium - but the OFFICE is a different matter.
I might have, as an airman, saluted the president and shown proper respect for the office, but my opinion of the person holding that office may be far less than flattering.
Salute the rank, not the person.
URLs concerning the Altalena:
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/Altalena.html
http://www.etzel.org.il/english/ac20.htm
