Firefighter Danny Hayat died yesterday of the injuries he sustained in the Carmel Forest fire. He was severely injured as he tried to rescue prison cadets from the burning bus. He leaves a widow who is about to give birth, two young sons, parents and siblings. Unthinkingly he risked, and has now given, his life to save others. That’s what true heroes do. That’s what our emergency service personnel and those of our children who serve in the IDF are trained to do. Risk everything, without thinking twice, to rescue people and to protect Israel. They are trained to be brave, to think outside the box. They are among the best this country has to offer.

Compare this selflessness to the lily-livered self-interest which is part and parcel of being a member of the Knesset. Ehud Barak is Israel’s most decorated soldier. Soldiers are taught to follow orders yet take responsibility. What happened to those qualities which made Barak so brave all those years ago? Today he cares only about self-preservation, a trait he shares with just about every one of his fellow lawmakers. Their decisions affect the quality of all of our daily lives and indeed put them at risk, yet how many politicians have the courage of their convictions to risk losing their places in the government by resigning as a matter of principle, never mind as an acceptance of responsibility for things going disastrously wrong on their watch?

How dare they cry their crocodile tears at the funerals of the 44 fantastic young men and women who were killed in part due to governmental negligence and incompetence? Their time would be better spent ensuring that their particular areas of responsibility all run smoothly and exhausting every avenue that might lead this country to a peaceful and secure future.