At an emergency meeting held today (Monday) of the Committee for the Advancement of the Status of Women and Gender Equality, chaired by Knesset Member Pnina Tamano Shata, and attended by representatives of the organizations and representatives of the various government ministries, the police presented the grim statistics on violence against women, which indicate that there has been a drastic increase in the number of murders of women compared to the same period last year.
At the height of the discussion, which dealt with the rise in murders, it emerged that the National Security Committee, headed by MK Zvika Fogel (Otzma Yehudit), which is responsible for overseeing the Ministry of National Security, canceled all its deliberations this week due to the Otzma Yehudit party's boycott of the government.
In the discussions this week, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was supposed to present his ministry's activities to deal with the scourge of violence, especially violence against women and violence in the Arab sector, but the discussion was canceled. Minister Ben-Gvir was also invited to a meeting of the Committee for the Advancement of the Status of Women, but rejected the proposal. Committee Chairwoman Tamanu Sheta criticized, saying: "We will not give up. If you don't protect women, you won't be protected for anyone."
More than twice as many women were murdered this year compared to last year. Femicide (illustration), photo: Ami Shumen
As noted, the data presented at today's hearing indicate that from January to today, 13 women have been murdered, including the last murder tonight of Hanan Abu Hayt in Haifa. In the same period last year, however, 6 women were murdered. This is an increase of more than 100%. Of the 13 women murdered this year, two are foreign nationals, four are Arab women who account for a third of the murders, while the share of Israeli Arabs in the general population is only one-fifth.
The discussion also revealed data from the Ministry of Social Affairs and the police that it is estimated that every day 1000,<> women are in real danger to their lives. Most of them keep it a secret, many others get the offending spouse back, despite acts of violence and restraining orders, mainly out of fear. The participants called on the prime minister to convene an emergency discussion on the issue.
Canceled the discussion on the issue this week. Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir (archive), photo: Oren Ben-Hakon (archive)
Tamar Schwartz, executive director of Women's Spirit, which helps women who have experienced economic violence, said at the hearing: "The shocking statistics of an increase in murders of women will not change as long as the government does not approve joining the Istanbul Convention [for the International Struggle against Violence against Women], promoting legislation against economic violence and advancing legislation on electronic handcuffing." Lara Zinman, head of the Association of Families of Murdered Victims, said at the hearing: "The wave of violence threatens to engulf Israeli society, the government must send women a lifeline. Many women's lives can be saved if the government implements the plans and removes barriers to the transfer of information between government ministries."
Committee Chairwoman MK Pnina Tamano-Shteh said at the start of the discussion: "We live in a time when every week a woman is murdered in Israel and children are slaughtered. When you compare these days to last year, you realize that there are twice as many murders. There is no privilege to throw up one's hands and think that this is fate. The relevant government ministers were invited to the discussion and they chose not to come, and apparently they have more important things to do – even if they are not here, it will not cause us to shift gears from the struggle for women's lives." Tamanu Shteh read out the names of the 2 murdered one after the other and emphasized that last night Yael Greenberg, who had been subjected to the brutal rape at Kibbutz Shomrat, died. "The corruption of her soul went with her until her last day."
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