Picture it: a cozy little retirement flat, situated in the heart of Tel Aviv. This is where Mr. Barak, former Israeli attorney general and Supreme Court justice, decided to put his feet up after a lifetime of service. Upon moving in with his wife Elisheva 13 years ago, he carefully arranged his extensive collection of unique walking sticks by the entrance, hung up some of his wife’s oil paintings, and set up her art easel by the sliding door to their charming little garden. In short, a peaceful and idyllic home for two octogenarian lovebirds.
But alas, as the saying goes, no good deed goes unpunished. For the Baraks, their once peaceful home has been plagued by constant visits from unwelcome visitors. You might think these would be friendly well-wishers dropping by with cookies and cakes, but alas, no. Instead, an irate crowd has taken to gathering outside their window. Their accusatory noises and chants of “dictator”, “criminal” and even “enemy of the state” are enough to make anyone want to join a monastery (although who knows if that’d be any better!)
Mr. Barak joked during a recent interview that aging seems to have a funny way of happening, for him especially. As he explains, this isn’t exactly what he had in mind when he originally retired. “It is an exceptional situation,” he noted sagely. “But we are in an exceptional situation.” Clearly, nobody could’ve predicted how dire the situation would become.
What lead to this unexpected turn of events? As it turns out, Mr. Barak’s long and storied legal career is coming back to haunt him. The right-wing government is pushing to dismantle his legacy, which happens to include being a key player in the formation of Israel’s Supreme Court—something many aren’t prepared to accept without a fight. And if that means dropping by the Barak residence for a protest or two (or three, or four), so be it.
It’s enough to make anyone feel a little bad for the elderly couple. After all, nobody should have to deal with this kind of uproar in their twilight years. That being said, maybe now is the perfect opportunity for Elisheva to channel her inner Banksy, and use the picketing as artistic inspiration for a new painting. Who knows? Maybe the next one will be so good, she’ll need to hang it in the Louvre!
Serious News: nytimes
