Esterina Tartman is one of those women who is overlookable or fantastic. When she is in full flight of articulating something provocative, with a wide smile and bright eyes, there is no doubt in my mind that she is beautiful.
She first gained headlines by trashing the appointment of an Arab as a minister in the Israeli government. To her, it was "a lethal blow to Zionism." A bit extreme for those concerned about giving something to the non-Jewish minority, but not out of keeping with her standing in the Israel Beitenu party (Israel Our Home). Among the signature issues of the party leader, Avigdor Lieberman, is a proposal for ethnic cleansing. He would transfer Arab towns in Israel to Palestine while attaching to Israel the Jewish settlements over the pre-1967 borders.
Due to political shuffles, the party had the opportunity to select the Minister of Tourism. It is not the most distinguished or most powerful of appointments, but it carries the title of minister, as well as car, driver, overseas trips to tourism events, and the opportunity to favor one or another interest with the money spent on advertising Israeli sights for potential visitors. Ms Tartman won the nomination, and was at the height of her fame.
Then it started to unravel.
First were revelations about her status as handicapped due to an accident some years ago. Journalists revealed substantial insurance payments due to claims that she suffers from chronic pain, confusion and memory loss, that keep her from working for more than 4 hours a day.
Could a minister, or even a member of Knesset without ministerial appointment function with those disabilities?
Next were questions about the academic credentials that she has claimed on the Knesset web site and on other occasions. Masters degree in business administration? Apparently not. Bachelors degree from Bar Ilan University? No record of that in the university archives.
Ms Tartman cited her memory loss and confusion to explain the academic muddle.
Her nomination as minister may not survive the inquiries underway by the head of her party. And if it does, there are likely to be problems in getting the approvals required by the entire government and the Knesset.
Should we be wary of beautiful women, or only those who claim disability, lie about their qualifications, and issue racist declarations?