Heidi J. Gleit reports. Of the 99 countries TI surveyed last year, Cameroon ranked 99 as the most corrupt, while Denmark was given the highest mark as the most honest nation. Israel came in at 20, dropping from 19 the previous year. However, Dove Izraeli, chairman of the TI's Israeli branch which is called Shvil, is not alarmed. Moral progress moves in a spiral fashion - upward and then dropping back only to rise again to new heights.
Mass movements bring about change and bring the social order one step higher.
The improved social order, however, brings about complacency, allowing the negative forces more leeway for action which leads to another descent. I view the process as a dialectic - thesis, antithesis, synthesis, and each new synthesis brings us one step higher. Prime Minister Ehud Barak and One Israel are being investigated for campaign funding irregularities, along with the leadership of the Likud, Center Party, United Torah Judaism, and Yisrael Beiteinu. Former prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu may be charged with fraud, bribery, breach of trust, and obstruction of justice. Ma'ariv publisher Ofer Nimrodi is on trial for contracting a murder and then bribing senior police officers and other officials to cover it up.