Women In Politics

After years in which the percentage of women in the Israeli legislature rose, a decline is being recorded ahead of the upcoming elections. In the next Knesset, as of now, it does not appear there will be a female leader at the head of a major party, and in the Likud there are very few female candidates in realistic spots. In the Arab parties the situation is also not bright, and the ultra-Orthodox...

13 women heading local authorities in Israel signed a petition by the 5050 initiative demanding the alternating placement of women and men on the lists for the Knesset. The appeal comes ahead of the submission of the lists, against the backdrop of large gaps in female representation between the parties.

New parties and political alliances boast, and rightly so, of the women joining them, but it is hard not to notice a common denominator: most of them are relatively young, solid, and many are presented under the title that has become the 'bon ton' of the election campaign — 'social activist'.

For years, it has been customary to speak of a "glass ceiling": the invisible barrier that prevents talented women from advancing to the most senior positions. But before they collide with the ceiling, they must escape from what is known as the "concrete floor."

Yahad Chairman Naftali Bennett announced the addition of Bruria Naim, Esti Kubo, Adv. Orly Harel, and Olesya Kantor to the party's list. There are now 17 women represented on the ticket.

After the primaries created a list identified almost entirely with the settlement movement in Judea and Samaria, the party is intensifying efforts to find a female candidate who will balance the list and help expand support circles to the "light" religious-national public. The move comes as Religious Zionism members realize they must reach out to additional audiences.