Israel: From Kitchenette to Octet
Akiva Eldar wonders why women in Israel are excluded from all focal points of crucial decision-making.
For four years now, Israel’s fate has been placed in the hands of eight people — all men. It is the forum with the most influence on our physical existence in this country, known by its nickname, “The Octet.” Imagine: seven ministers sitting around Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for discussions of war and peace issues. Each and every one, without exception, is a man.
Interestingly, this men’s club actually started out in the kitchen of a woman — none other than Golda Meir, the first and last woman to have served, so far, as head of the Israeli government (and earning such dubious compliments as “the only [real] man in the government,” “the only one wearing pants,” etc.).
At that time, the forum was nicknamed “the kitchenette,” because the select team of ministers convened in order to make decisions at the home of Golda Meir, and “the kitchen” was perceived as the most natural place in a woman’s home — albeit a prime minister — to debate serious issues.
In meetings of the defense and foreign relations cabinet [a small forum of government ministers], the picture is similar. Regular invitees to its discussions include the IDF chief-of-staff, the head of the Mossad, the head of the Shin Bet [Israeli Security agency], the head of the National Security Council and the head of military intelligence. Not one single woman. Israel is proud of having women pilots, women commanders of missile batteries, and women commanders of male company commander training courses. It even has a woman at the head of the IDF’s Manpower Directorate [Gen. Orna Barbivai]. But the important decisions, whether to send women to war or to endanger their families in a regional war — these decisions are made purely by men. Decisions about negotiations with the Palestinians and the freeze on settlements were also made by a strictly male forum.
