Women’s Representation Is Not a Political Game. It Is a National Priority

My dear friends, WIZO women,

I always assume that all of you are following, through the media, the ongoing dramas unfolding one after another in the State of Israel. This past month certainly gave us no shortage of events: tense anticipation regarding developments on the Iranian front, daily military activity along the Lebanese border, a seemingly endless series of internal political affairs, and the Knesset’s decision to dissolve itself, bringing Israel closer to general elections.

And in between all of this, there was one sweet moment of unity and national pride, when Noam Bettan, Israel’s representative, shone with the song “Michelle” on the international stage of the Eurovision Song Contest, a competition that, in recent years, has become as political as it is musical. There, thanks also to you and to so many friends of Israel around the world, the Israeli song won first place in the semifinal and second place in the grand final of this popular international competition.

It was a powerful reminder that even in the face of waves of hatred and unfair international treatment, there is also support, warmth, and solidarity. That support embraced “Michelle,” the Israeli song, and Noam Bettan, the Israeli singer who performed it, and through them, all of us.

The dissolution of the Knesset, which is already underway, brings us closer to an election season, a period in which tensions rise, divisions deepen, rifts become more visible, and Israeli society, which is often turbulent even in ordinary times, appears to split into two camps amid an increasingly extreme public discourse.

As a social and nonpartisan organization, WIZO’s place is, of course, outside the party political arena. We are careful to preserve this statesmanlike and responsible position, even in the face of a claim that has been heard more and more often recently: “I don’t hear the women’s organizations.”

Whether it is a protester clashing with a female police officer, a minister insulting a female Member of Knesset, an interviewee making a degrading remark about a female interviewer, or a politician mocking a female minister’s appearance, there will always be someone who claims that they “do not hear the women’s organizations.”

Behind this sentence, there is usually not an innocent concern for the status of women, but rather an attempt to use women’s issues as a political weapon against the opposing camp. Each side, in turn, complains about the “silence of women’s organizations” in relation to incidents it wishes to exploit for its own purposes.

But we are experienced enough not to rush into saying what others expect of us simply because it serves someone’s political interest. Sexual harassment and harm against women are shameful and unacceptable, regardless of who responded to them and how. We will not allow extreme behavior or isolated incidents to distract us from the larger goal.

The upcoming elections are an opportunity to address the ongoing underrepresentation of women in Israel’s public sphere: in the Knesset, in government, at the head of government ministries, and in senior public institutions.

The fact that today, across all government ministries, only one Director General is a woman is a disgrace to the government. The fact that women are almost absent from the ministries considered most influential, with the exception of the Minister of Transportation, is a failure that must be corrected. The fact that today there is no political party in Israel headed by a woman, and it is doubtful whether there will even be a woman in the second position on a major party list, is deeply troubling.

In the ultra Orthodox parties, there are no female candidates at all. In the Arab parties, there are almost no female candidates. This is a stain on those parties and on the sectors of society they claim to represent.

As we enter a tense and stormy election period, WIZO will continue to maintain balance, responsibility, and nonpartisanship. At the same time, we will not stop demanding proper and respectful representation for women, while closely examining the place of women on the various party lists.

WIZO’s 1949 election slogan was: “For the mother and child, for the building of the state.”

That message remains just as relevant today, with one necessary update:

For the integration of women at the highest levels of public leadership, for the building of the state.

With deep appreciation and gratitude to all of you,

Anita Friedman
World WIZO Chairperson