Bennett Pledges Academic Separation Law Repeal, Pledges Support for Women in Combat Roles
Translated & summarized from Davar by baba
Naftali Bennett, chairman of the Together party, pledged at a Women's Forum to repeal the academic separation law and expand rabbinical court authority if elected. He also committed to establishing a new police unit for violence against women and supporting reservists with daycare subsidies. Bennett expressed a change of heart regarding women in combat roles, now fully supporting their inclusion. Other speakers discussed gender equality in politics and the military, with MK Naama Lazimi calling for equal burden-sharing.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Naftali Bennett pledged to repeal the academic separation law and expand rabbinical court authority.
- Bennett committed to establishing a new police unit for violence against women.
- Bennett now fully supports women in combat roles, reversing his previous stance.
- The Together party will advance daycare subsidies for IDF reservists.
- MK Naama Lazimi called for equal burden-sharing and criticized parties with low female representation.
- Bennett did not commit to ensuring female representation in senior civil service positions.
The Women's Forum, organized by WIZO and the Women's Lobby, convened on Sunday ahead of the upcoming elections. Naftali Bennett, chairman of the Together party, opened the forum by committing to several policy changes should his party form the next government. These include repealing the law separating genders in academia, revoking the expansion of rabbinical court authority, and establishing a new police unit dedicated to combating violence against women. Bennett also stated his intention to advance legislation allowing fathers to take parental leave concurrently with mothers and to create a subsidized daycare program for reservists.
During a panel discussion, Keren Turner, also from the Together party, reiterated the commitment to full daycare subsidies for reservists. Bennett addressed the controversial topic of women in combat roles, revealing a shift in his stance following the October 7th attacks. Previously hesitant, he now expresses full support, citing the heroic actions of women like Or Moses and acknowledging the military's need for all personnel. He affirmed his trust in the Chief of Staff.
However, Bennett did not commit to ensuring female representation in senior civil service positions. On the issue of civilian armament, he stated that in a terror-prone country, citizens should be armed.
MK Naama Lazimi emphasized the importance of gender equality across all sectors, criticizing parties that either completely exclude women or offer only minimal representation, stating, "When women don't vote for us, we don't exist." Ziva Galantz, a candidate for a Haredi party, highlighted the contributions of Haredi women in security roles. Lali Deri discussed the integration of women in combat positions, asserting that the IDF's primary role is to win wars and that women should serve in the field if it meets a security need, while the army's role is not to educate.
Lazimi countered, emphasizing that the IDF is the "army of the people" and warned against dismantling its structure in the name of autonomy, calling for equal burden-sharing without marginalizing women.
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