Merav Michaeli, the Knesset member elected on Sunday to lead Israel’s beleaguered Labor Party, cleared her schedule last Wednesday to watch Kamala Harris be sworn in as the first female vice president in American history. For Michaeli, a former journalist and staunch feminist, this glass-ceiling moment was very important.
“This gives other women the example, the power and the strength to look up and see that it’s possible and to follow suit and also fight for the things that they want to see happen,” Michaeli explained in an interview on Friday.
“The most important thing that I can do for women and for equality is to gain a lot of political power for our side of the map,” she added, “so that when we once again get back into power to change the system the way it should be changed in order to allow women the rights that they deserve.”
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25th January 2021
The Telegraph lead with Israel’s vaccination drive as the country has begun vaccinating 16 to 18-year-olds against COVID-19 in an effort to enable them to take exams. The exams play an important role in deciding where students will go to university. Their results can also affect their placement in the military, where many young Israelis do compulsory service. More than a quarter of Israel’s population of nine million have received at least one dose of the Pfizer vaccine since 19 December, its health ministry says.
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After Israel s 2020 election, Michaeli refused to join Netanyahu s government, and split from Peretz and Shmuli, who opted for cabinet positions, despite campaign promises not to do so. The Labor Party is leaving the corrupt Netanyahu-Gantz government, Michaeli said. I told Peretz and Shmuli they must resign immediately. The Labor Party is starting over.
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Former Labor Chairman Amir Peretz votes at the party s primary election in Sderot, January 24, 2021.Credit: Eliyahu Hershkovitz
It remains unclear whether both ministers will heed to Michaeli s request. Both Peretz and Shmuli had announced they would not run for party chairman, with Peretz saying he wouldn t run for a Knesset seat either. Shmuli has hinted he may join Benny Gantz s Kahol Lavan party.
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The primary for the party’s full Knesset slate will be held later on.
Speaking after her victory in the primary, Michaeli said, I m calling on every one who feels that politics doesn t represent her, to everyone who feels that politics doesn t make room for his voice – come home.
Peretz congratulated Michaeli on her win, and wished her luck. Ron Huldai, chairman of the new The Israelis party, also welcomed her win, calling Michaeli an important leader and saying that his party will immediately hold talks with her about building a big house for the entire center-left.
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Labor MK Merav Michaeli casts her vote for party leader at a polling station in Tel Aviv, on January 24, 2021. (Miriam Alster/ Flash90)
MK Merav Michaeli on Sunday won the Labor leadership primaries, taking over the storied center-left party as it faces possible extinction in the March 23 general elections.
Michaeli, the only current Labor lawmaker in the race, finished first with 77 percent of the 9,651 votes cast, out of over 37,000 registered party members.
The runner up was Avi Shaked, an ally of outgoing Labor chief Amir Peretz, who got 19.08% of votes. Gil Beilin, the son of former minister Yossi Beilin, picked up 2.37% of ballots, while five other candidates finished below 1%.