Opinion
Can a woman lead Israel?
Emmanuel Rosen
Published: 26.05.08, 09:50
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56 Talkbacks for this article
1. From 0 to the top in 8 years? And for what?
Ilan ,   Ariel   (05.26.08)
Livni has risen rapidly up from anonymity due to her promotion by Netanyahu and then Sharon. While unfailing loyalty (which she sort of botched anyway) is a good trait in a pet, it doesn't justify Sharon handing her a cabinet post nor make her particularly qualified to hold such a post. She is far past the Peter's principle into comedy/tragedy of obtaining the top spot by virtue of being the best in a bad lot.
2. Unfortunately,
(05.26.08)
a woman cannot lead a country especially a country such as Israel , because she has children. Wait - before all feminists reach out and yell - they should remember that children come first - before careers. Unless they want their kids to be brought up by Filipino nannies. When a Prime Minister needs to work 24/7 - there is no way she can juggle kids and work in one basket. sorry, but that's reality.
3. Golda did. Livni can't. No comparison.
silent majority ,   Israel   (05.26.08)
4. Yes a woman can. But NOT that woman!!!
Maurie ,   Israel   (05.26.08)
5. Theory and practice
Castor Troy ,   USA   (05.26.08)
To answer the question theoriticaly, yes a women can lead Israel, it ocured already in the past with Golda Meir. But if you ask if Mrs Livni can run Isrel this is yet another question, as she seems to lack the strategic vision of a true leader, and seems to well imbedded with US or EU leaders to take the tough decisions a prime minister is to take.
6. Margaret Thatcher could lead Israel.
Terry ,   Eilat, Israel   (05.26.08)
But not Livni. It has nothing to do with gender & everything to do with strength of character, toughness, facing reality, competence, & a certain degree of "street-smarts" .... Livni has none of these qualities. She is naive, lacks realism, & cannot forsee consequences. She just isn't competent. Nothing could possibly be stupider than supporting a politician on the basis of gender or race, for that matter, as in the case of Barak Obama. Both Democratic candidates in America tried to use membership in a supposed "minority" to their advantage - a reminder, perhaps, that American politics is quite shallow. So, should we emulate the same kind of shallowness? Isn't our political system lousy enough? If we had a normal system of directly electing candidates to political office, can anyone name a current politician who could win an election? Livni just isn't capable & articles like this are only meant to obscure the issue of having a PM foisted upon us without elections. Nauseating is the only way to describe it.
7. they should look at Spain's pregnant Defense Minister!
(05.26.08)
and then come back and comment!
8. Ms. Livni is our best option!
(05.26.08)
9. #2
(05.26.08)
Her 'kids' are about 20 and 18 years old, so much for this reason why she can't be PM.
10. Of course a woman can't lead Israel
Avram ,   Israel   (05.26.08)
They can bake a cake or make the tea or look after the babies or clean the house of do the shopping or cry when they see a wedding dress, they can do lots of things, but look after a country? what is it 1st of April?
11. "Can a woman lead Israel?"
John ,   Europe   (05.26.08)
Read my lips: GOLDA MEIR. OF COURSE SHE CAN!
12. A child shall lead them forth...
Stephen ,   Lowell Massachusetts   (05.26.08)
Lead ? - Leader of what - may I ask?
13. Tzipi is not Golda
Hilda ,   US   (05.26.08)
She has been corrupted by association with Olmert. Tzipi is a wonderful name for my darling cat but Tzipi is not Golda. Golda would not barter Israel away.
14. A woman can defintely lead as well as a man
Arie ,   BaGolan   (05.26.08)
However, livni is not a leader but a politician in the olmert mode. She has followed his model like a puppy until she finally realized the citizens have had enough. Then, miraculously, she has seen the light. We need a leader to quash the olmert/livni/barak/meretz surrender and sidestep the $ha$ greed.
15. #2 Ha,ha,ha,so what's your excuse for Olmerts wonderful Job?
A female ,   All over the world!!   (05.26.08)
16. #2Olmert works 24/7to give away your land. Idiot!!
(05.26.08)
17. Woman can't? Typical Israeli reaction. Women are chattles!
David ,   Karmiel, Israel   (05.26.08)
Of course Linvi can but she must act NOW. Stop being sexist fools and open your eyes! Olmert is a male and look at what he has screwed up! The other males in the cabinet don't seem to have the "you know what's" to stand up against Olmert and save us from his level of incompetence.
18. A woman in charge is our best bet!!
Israel   (05.26.08)
Maybe Tzipi Livni maybe someone else, but it's time for the men to move over and let a woman take the helm now. Golda Meir made some mistakes, but we are still here. She was one of the best things that happened to us.
19. Female leaders
David ,   Melbourne   (05.26.08)
Divorce rates are as high as 45% in western countries because women are encouraged to believe they are independent. If one would return to traditional family values, divorce rates would fall, real wages would INCREASE and everyone would be happier. Women should not be leading countries - they were not put on this Earth to do such things. AND NO I AM NOT RELIGIOUS
20. She's really stupid
Rami   (05.26.08)
I don't say it lightly, but she is truly a very stupid stupid person.
21. A rebuke for the zealots
hiram ,   Lenk   (05.26.08)
Tzipi does not represent for me the ideal woman for such a task. Additionally I find her presomptuous, aggressive, and to sum it all politically vicious HOWEVER , putting a women at the head of the state would be such a blow against the religious obscurantism in Israel that - would it be just for that - would be a blessing which could further promote the status of Israeli women, still far beyond women in European countries for a single reason that we all know : religion
22. look up the following names = All PMs, all women
Yaw mama   (05.26.08)
A Corazon Aquino Azarmidokht B Michelle Bachelet Sirimavo Bandaranaike Benazir Bhutto Borandukht Mame Madior Boye Gro Harlem Brundtland C Sila María Calderón Kim Campbell Violeta Chamorro Eugenia Charles Valeria Ciavatta Tansu Çiller Édith Cresson D Irena Degutienė Luisa Diogo D cont. Elisabeth Domitien G Indira Gandhi Zinaida Greceanîi H Sheikh Hasina I Reneta Indzhova J Anneli Jäätteenmäki Janet Jagan Kaqusha Jashari Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf K Sylvie Kinigi Cristina Fernández de Kirchner M Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Isabel Martínez de Perón Golda Meir Beatriz Merino Angela Merkel Maria Domenica Michelotti Mireya Moscoso N Maria das Neves P Ertha Pascal-Trouillot Marita Petersen Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo Milka Planinc Kazimira Prunskienė S Radmila Šekerinska Jenny Shipley Stella Sigcau Maria do Carmo Silveira Portia Simpson-Miller Hanna Suchocka Megawati Sukarnoputri T Margaret Thatcher Yulia Tymoshenko U Agathe Uwilingiyimana W Claudette Werleigh Z Rosa Zafferani Khaleda Zia
23. Straw man argument
Israel Israeli ,   Tel Aviv   (05.26.08)
The reason that Livni is called weak and can't withstand pressure is because she is weak and can't withstand pressure, exactly like Mofaz, Dichter and Barak. She is also corrupt and deceitful, but that is another issue. The fact that Emmanuel Rosen interprets these opinions as referring to her womanhood shows more of his anti-woman opinion than anything else. Ehud Barak has many "Arab skulls" but is acknowledge as being a weak and pliable failure. He is the man called "runaway Ehud" by Yossi Sarid and is famed for running away from every battle against Arab terrorists, be it in Shchem or Lebanon.
24. I nominate my mother for PM
Kyle ,   Southpark, CO, USA   (05.26.08)
25. Israel needs a woman a ANY cost
Dr. Dave ,   USA   (05.26.08)
Typical politically correct liberal bullshit...Regardless of how incompetent she is and destructive she has been to Israeli security, they keep propping up this coy yet arrogant, pathetic tool of the ayatollahs.
26. So you do remember about Golda
Avi   (05.26.08)
I would choose Livni over Olmert on any day of the week. Yes, she is not perfect, and does have quite a few faults. Up to now, she hasn't really had the freedom to choose the course of the country that she sees best. Perhaps, once she does have the top spot, she'll be in a better position to do so. Again, compared to what else is out there, I think she may be the best choice at this time.
27. Tzipi Livni can. No doubt about it!
Enzo ,   london,uk   (05.26.08)
28. Can a woman lead Israel
I.Kemp ,   ahariya Isr   (05.26.08)
Not if it's Livni.
29. livni
sas ,   israel   (05.26.08)
a woman can lead israel BUT NOT LIVNI. She is DUMB/stupid/ has no personality/ says one thing - does another.........talks against her PM and remains in the government. She certainly is the wrong person. She has ruined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Look at the ambassadors she has appointed. The one that speaks German is in Italy. The one that is in Germany speaks English. The one in Japan has never been a member of the political section of the MFA. They have appointed DRIVERS as Ambassadors........Most do not have a command of English and some do not even speak Hebrew correctly. Livni welcomes Pelosi to the 60th UNIVERSITY instead of Anniversary. She calls Condolice Rice Condolenses, The woman is not intelligent and she will not grow with the job.
30. #17
NC ,   Canada   (05.26.08)
As most of the talkbackers here have mentioned, Livni's inability to lead has nothing to do with her being a woman. She can't lead Israel because she's weak. As are the men who are currently at the top with her. Israel needs a big political change.
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