Knesset women must form defensive wall against ultra-Orthodox- Yael Dayan ynet

Selective parasites
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3236416,00.html

Knesset women must form defensive wall against ultra-Orthodox
Yael Dayan

Last week's elections brought good news and bad news, news that may
even overshadow other results.



The best news of all is the disintegration of the Likud. A clear
majority has voted for "convergence," an end to the occupation and a
two-state solution, with or without negotiations.

That the country's social agenda has gained a strong voice is also
good news, but this news comes with a regressive, black cloud hanging
over it: A return to ultra-Orthodox extortion. Historically, in
Israel as in other countries – the combination of right-wing
nationalism and an orthodoxy that rejects human rights is the most
dangerous of all.


Social camouflage

The haredim (ultra-Orthodox) may wave the banner of "concern for the
weaker classes," but their concern is selective and parasitic. If
they were truly concerned for the public good, it would be okay. But
by using the camouflage of the word "social" they have managed to
hinder true solutions for the problems facing general society.

Government handouts cannot come instead of work. There is no
substitute for comprehensive education, respect for teachers,
professional training and rewards for working women, not even a
haredi deputy education minister or additional funds for an education
system that fails to teach citizenship or science.

We are all familiar with deceptive campaign promises, about the
overlap between party platforms and empty promises. But now it is the
day after. People who voted for the Labor or Meretz parties, or even
the Pensioners party, had no intention of bringing back the haredi
monopoly to our lives. Of burying the chance of having public
transportation on Shabbat, civil marriage, or equal rights for gays.

Misleading smiles

Therefore, the smiling images of Amir Peretz and Shas leader Eli
Yishai together, claiming to share a joint agenda – is misleading. A
joint agenda must include social equality, women's representation,
huge financial allotment to close gaps between Jews and Arabs,
support for cultural institutions and providing accessibility for
all.

At the end of the day the haredim – Shas and United Torah Judaism,
with outside support from the National Religious Party - must provide
for everyone. Special funds in exchange for their support here and
there for other sectors, rather than overall support for a different
Israel – a secular, liberal, normal, Jewish country of all its
citizens, one that guarantees equal rights and demands equal
responsibilities.



But the ultra-Orthodox reject all of these. This does not disqualify
them from becoming secondary partners in government, but they should
not have the set the government's direction.



Held hostage



The secular must be open about just why they have not used the vacuum
created by the disappearance of the Shinui Party to raise the flag of
freedom from religion and religious coercion. Their malicious
gloating, their "we told you so" and personal infighting turned off
many voters, and not only the remnants of the party that had the
arrogance to represent them.



Meretz, for its part, failed to place enough stress on its civil
reform platform. The Labor Party has never led a "social revolution"
for human rights or religious pluralism, thus giving the ultra-
Orthodox legitimacy on the basis of fighting for social issues and
the weaker classes. In doing so, they squandered a huge opportunity.



Now, we find ourselves – the Labor Party, liberals in Kadima and all
of Meretz – held hostage, yet again, to the Knesset's haredim.



They will decide vote after vote, including issues regarding
diplomatic matters.



Setting limits



I propose, even demand, that the incoming Prime Minister set a series
of basic principles for joining the government, including civil
reform and religious pluralism. Parties who fail to agree to these
conditions should be disqualified from joining the government.




The haredim will support the popular demand to include more medicines
in the national health basket, and we will demand public
transportation on Shabbat. At the end of the day, there is no reason
their voices should drown out ours.



Then there is the lonely women's voice in the current Knesset. Won't
the haredim work to oppose women's advancement and funding? We must
work to ensure "women's power," including equal pay, compensation for
child care, and funding for women's diseases. More than anything, we
must work to ensure comprehensive, free, quality education at a high
standard, rather than to become twittering fools opposite the
Knesset's haredim.



Shelly Yechimovitz, Dalia Itzik, Nadia Hilo, Yuli Tamir, Zahava Gal-
On, Tzipi Livni and Limor Livnat must form a defensive wall against
the distortions of male ultra-Orthodox MKs.



This is not the time to remain passive like sheep. The time for
action has come.



Yael Dayan is a former Labor Party Knesset member and head of the
Committee on the Status of Women