The Women’s Parliament was the first organization that criticized the government’s decision to open the second Lebanon war and the severe damages inflicted on civilians on both sides of the border.
WP Session 2014
The invisible price of war- Women, peace, reconciliation and forgiveness
The 80th session was hosted in Faradis in March 13th 2014.
Greetings – Younes Merey, head of Faradis Local Council: peace and Good neighborliness
Screening of a segment from the movie “Pushing the Elephant”
Ms. Illana Shoshan, beauty queen, film producer and activist for women’s empowerment, will chat with Ms. Rose Mapendo, human rights activist and winner of the UN humanitarian award for 2009, on the topics: women, peace, reconciliation and forgiveness.
Moderator: Ms. Ibtisam Mahameed, director of the women’s department in the Faradis Local Council, director of the “Women reborn” project and a winner of the Dalai Lama award
WP Session 2010
Young Women in the Army: a Visit in the Tel HaShomer Recruitment Base
The visit took place in October and was hosted by Colonel Orna Bar Bivay (vice head of human power division). The first part of the visit was opened by colonel Bar Bivay. She described in general terms women’s situation in the army, with an emphasis on the changes that occurred since Alice Miller’s appeal to the high courts (to allow her participation in the air force pilots’ course). Lieutenant Colonel Sigi Zelinger presented the subject of recruitment on a general level and with regard to women. She elaborated on the ways and means of the army to achieve maximum adaptation and matching of young men and women to their army service. She also described the efforts invested by the army in working with frameworks in the larger society with the purpose of reaching out young people before joining the army. Issues that concern women’s service in the army, such as women evading recruitment by pretending to be religious, opening-up of more positions and opportunities in the technological army systems etc., were openly discussed. In the second half of the visit the Women Parliament’s guests passed by the “chain of recruitment” and were provided with explanations and much information.
Following this visit a steering committee, headed by Colonel Orna Bar-Bivay, which will include other high women officers and the Women Parliament’s representatives, will be established. The committee will examine ways and means to cooperate on issues that are of mutual interest: women leaders within the army and women activists from various spheres of civil life.
WP Session 2007
Strategic Threats in the Middle East
The first session took place in October 2007, in Tel Aviv, and was hosted by the women’s division of the Kibbutzim Movement. Linoi Bar Geffen (journalist) convened the discussion. The panelists were: Ofra Graitzer (Tel Aviv University), Dr. Erela Shadmi (sociologist), Chedva Eyal (Isha Le’isha), Amani D’ayef (Isha Le’isha).
This session was intended to take place at the Sorek center for nuclear research. Following a “last moment” cancellation by the center’s directors the session was moved to Tel Aviv. This one-sided act of cancellation, under the pretext of security needs, implied the silencing of the crucially needed public debate on Israel’s nuclear armament. It also meant the silencing of women’s voices as well as of the civil society’s voice. The discussion that took place in Tel Aviv unfolded the heavy secrecy that surrounds Israel’s nuclear policy and which is used to prevent any public discussion on this subject, from taking place. The discussants called to take action, aiming at opening up the subject and enabling public debate.
WP Session 2006
“Front” and “Hinterland” in the Second Lebanese War – Women’s Voices
The first session took place in September 2006, in Kfar Saba. The event was hosted by Yehuda Ben Chamo, the mayor. It was organized with Nessia Shtrasburg, the mayor’s advisor on women’s issues and with the Women’s Council. Merav Michaeli convened the discussion. The panelists were: Ruti Gur, Riva Muskal, Orit Lavnin-Dgani, Miri Regev, Chana Beit Halachmi, Dr. Linda Efroni.
In this opening session women’s experiences of their sufferings from the missiles attacks of the Chizbulah in the northern part of Israel, were depicted. The political and military leadership were severely criticized by some of the speakers, for their decision to enter the war and for neglecting the needs of the civil population at the hinterland. Also, a political-economic analysis of the wider background of the war was presented. The army spokeswoman presented the difficulties of representing the army positions and elaborated on women’s role during the war.
WP Session 2004
Women Make Peace
Women Make Peace: The UN Security Council 1325 Resolution (July 2004, Tel Aviv). Dalia Noyman convened the presentations. The presenters were: Sarai Aharoni, Rutti Gur, adv. Yona Markovitz, Rina Bar-Tal, Prof. Galia Golan, Haya Shalom, Irit Dalumi, Rula Hamad, adv. Einat Horovitz and Hanna Pasternak. This gathering was dedicated to the late Dr. Vicki Shiran.
The 29th gathering of the Parliament focused on the United Nations resolution that calls to include women in all peace talks. The presenters, who represented 10 women organizations, raised different reasons and explanations for the crucial need to include women in processes of conflict resolution and peace making, for dismantling hostility situations and for constructing trust and cooperation. This need emerges not only from the fact that women and children are the most vulnerable population in war time, but also because of the chance that their active involvement carries in terms of the potential to employ other ways of leadership and conflict management.
WP Sessions 2001
Peace on Israel – the Role of Women in Relationships Between Ethnic-Religious Groups
The fifth gathering took place on the 29th of May 2001 in Pkiin under the auspices of Naif Sweid, the Mayor. Salach Tariff, the first Arab (Druz) minister participated and greeted the participants. A musical performance of school pupils preceded the discussion. The political perspective behind the structured dichotomies of ethnic and national conflicts and the aspiration of all groups for reconciliation were emphasized in the discussion.
The presenters were:
- Marlen Bajali, an actress and radio journalist.
- Ibtissam Machmid, head of Peace starts from the inside.
- Kattef Murad, a student in political science in Haifa University.
- Rutti Gur, a director of the women’s shelter in Haifa.
- Ella Youngman, chair- person of “wo/man and landscape.
- Afaf Mahana and Nasarin Mada, members of Elmanahl – an association for the advancement of Druze women convened the event.
War and Media from a Feminist Perspective
The first gathering took place in Hertzlia on the 13th of December 2001, under the auspices of Yael German, the Mayor. The discussion focused on the silencing of women’s voices in the media, during the October events.
The speakers were:
- Dr. Eva Berger, lecturer in the Administration College in Tel Aviv.
- Ibtissam Machmid, head of “Peace starts from within”, a Jewish Arab women movement.
- Shelly Yechimovitz, a radio and T.V journalist.
- Iris Mizrachi, a journalist in Maariv.
- Chayuta Doitsh, a journalist in ynet.
- Tal Bashan, a journalist in Maariv, narrated the event.