What really worried Israelis this weekend

Living in Israel, I can verify that your estimate is correct. Regarding the Mossad, we win some, lose some. IF Mossad was involved in Dubai, then in this case we won, but with apparent complications. But as you said, it is all old-hat.

What you have missed is the quandry placed upon the chiloni - secular - irreligious section of the population.

They are always happy when a scandal occurrs inside the National Religious population (amongst whom I count myself), because, as Efraim Kishon once put it, 'these are our Jews'.

Since we are declaratively observant of the Torah commandments, those who aren't are always happy to catch us out on one point or another, to remove us from the pedestal on which _they_ have placed us, so that they will feel less inferior.

The point in this particular case is that for the chiloni, homosexuality is not bad, just 'different', and certainly tolerated. The Israeli entertainment world honours a few openly self-declared homosexuals.

So on the one hand something considered very bad by the National Religious section of society has occurred, and 'this is where we "get" them', but on the other hand, it is not bad at all for the chiloni, so what's all the fuss about?

Virulent anti-religionist Meir Shalev, a sarcastic and bitter man, couldn't possibly resist the opportunity to (gutter-)snipe at the way the National Religious society handled the matter by 'outing' Rabbi Elon, but most of the more mature writers and publicists understood that problems have been raised that can't possibly be resolved by snide remarks in a back-page article.

This is laughable, Avraham. First, Elon was "outed" by Takanah, a Nationalist Religious group of rabbis, not rhe secular press. Second, it is the Nationalist Religious and the charadim who put themselves on a pedestal, by believing that they, in the words of the Chafetz Chaim are the full vessel, while we mere secular Jews are empty vessels. Or, to put it in the words of the title of Sefi Rachlevsky's book, we are Chamuro she Mashiach (Messiah's Beast of Burden). Talk about a superiority complex.

By the way, the far right Yisrael Hayom (the Bibiton) also devoted a large amount of space to Rabbi Elon.

OK so it was the [lack of] Chazon Ish, Avraham. Be that as it may, the Nationalist Religious, the Charadalim and the charadim still believe that they are the full vessel. But as a secular Jew, I can tell you, we feel no guilt. But if it makes the nationalist religious and the charadim feel good to think that we do, please, be our guest.