Noam Party Appoints First Woman to Lead New Women's Division Ahead of Elections

The Noam party, known as one of Israel's most ultra-Orthodox and conservative political factions, is implementing a significant change by establishing an official women's division and incorporating women into its party activities for the first time. Liora Alon, who previously ran for Noam in Jerusalem's municipal elections and served as an advisor to the mayor, will head this new women's division. An internal party announcement stated that Alon will lead the division alongside hundreds of women from various sectors across Israel.

This move marks a notable shift for Noam, which has been strongly identified with a stringent Torah-observant and conservative stance under chairman Avi Maoz, focusing on defending Israel's Jewish identity. Political analysts suggest this development could have broader implications beyond the creation of a women's division. On one hand, it may facilitate future alliances with right-wing nationalist parties that do not adhere to Noam's strict religious line. On the other hand, officially integrating women into the party structure might hinder cooperation with ultra-Orthodox lists that maintain strict gender separation.

Currently, Noam intends to run independently in the upcoming elections. However, as the candidate list deadline approaches, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to seek to strengthen the right-wing bloc by encouraging mergers among smaller parties to avoid losing votes below the electoral threshold. If Noam's recent move signals a strategic shift, it could make the party a more flexible player in right-wing coalition negotiations, even if its ideological path remains unchanged.