both sexes should cheer lead and y r thes really bored house wives medling in something they don't know about, violence at bascketball game???? r they ok. it can only occur when the israely team goes to Turkey.

this is not news, this is a sandwich filler, it's the advert that no one can be bothered to watch.

I don't understand what is wrong with a cheerleading squad. When I was in high school in the U.S. it was an honor for a girl to be on the squad. And most of them were the girls with the good grades!

Not that it should be disbanded. The point of this article is to disband the REQUIREMENT for all basketball teams to have a cheerleader squad. If they showed up to a game without, they would be fined. This is ridiculous. Why would this be mandatory? I agree with these woman's groups. A society that puts women in the public eye just to be a sexual object does not have a high moral code. If you disagree, take your daughter down to the mall. Make sure she wears the same outfits cheerleaders do and see how you feel as men from all ages and backgrounds stares with lust in their eyes.

I sense a bunch of bitter, jealous feminists who are not nearly attractive enough to be cheerleaders at work here....

most men will always always look at woman as a sex objects regardless of what the women r wearing!!! they can cover themselves and still men will look at them as sex objects, so get a life. cause the way you think is more suitble to Iran.

This is not the way to live ? Men are getting horney. Government must take action to stop this acts. I will not stay in Israel if they do not stop this.

As an Orthodox women I wouldn't dress as cheerleaders do. That being said, no one forces the women to become cheerleaders. It is their decision. Have you looked at the way people dress in the street? Some are wearing negligibly more clothes. What about the beach and the areas near the beach. Women their are definitely wearing skimpier bathing suits. While a cheerleaders presence may be mandatory--participation on squads is not and if no one wanted to participate nothing could be mandated. It is time for the "feminists" to allow women who WANT to cheerlead to make THEIR OWN CHOICE!!

If the protest against the use of women's bodies was led by religious people, people would be screaming against religious coercion, Taliban and primitive culture. But when the protest is led by feminists, it is suddenly legitimate and progressive.

To engage in a conversation with you is probably a waste of time. But I have a few minutes. First, just because I have self respect for myself and respect for my wife and daughters does not make me a fool. Nor did I say that women should be wearing a burka. You are an ignoramus. It seems to me that you and all of the other people who feel that self respect is built up from others via physicality will never be truly happy. Superficiality is a way of feeling good about yourself in the moment. There is no long term fulfillment from these feelings. So I would appreciate before you chime in and calling me a fool and telling me that my frame of mind as something from Iran, you can think before you speak. Its unfortunate that people like you think that you are the enlightened people, meanwhile you are so blind to the breakdown of society because of the values you hold dear. Good day

#4 is quite right, it is ridiculous to make these female displays compulsory.Its not a sports event but a public display of young women. For readers who grew up in USA and think Cheerleaders are OK, you must remember that this is the Middle East where respectable women used to be (until recently) fully clothed in public, and Jewish culture traditionally treats women & girls with respect. Nothing wrong with women attracting male attention which is natural, its how its done that matters.

real life people r superfficial, for both sexes, that's life. people always will look at what you r wearing, and will judge you upon that. rich or poor man or woman, doesn't matter, and this is not something new for the modern age, sure you can reflect to animle kindom for comparisones, but it would be redundant.

There is much more character and values to #4 I would characterize him as smart morally upright. I suppose his family is united and well behaved. What about yours ? and the children ????

nobody makes thos girls choos to become cheerleaders, maybe it's about time people in Israel will open their minds, cause in tennis also women wear short skirts, so big deal, it's not the end of the world.

If something that is not positive takes over society, should we not teach to reject it as invaluable to life? Do we roll over and become sheep to the slaughter to marketing images that turn 13 year old girls into bulimics? Should we teach our children that you will be judged by the way you look and that is Okay? What if they are not okay. Should we then tell them, you are ugly and you will only become mediocre in life, at best. Aside from some comments that really have no depth. This is a real issue that I think we need to deal with. I am not rejecting the concept of cheerleaders. I do not agree with having them but that is my choice. The issue is that teams are not given that choice. The choice they have is have cheerleaders or you will be fined. This is ridiculous.

typical israelis: imitate americans and make the imitation compulsory

Yes, it shouldn't be required for there to be cheerleaders at the games, but it's still a job. If women's rights groups want to really preach women's rights, they need to realize that women have the right to be cheerleaders, models, hooters waitresses, and even strippers. They also have the right not to be those professions and could even possibly be the president or PM. The main reason I think that it is mandatory for them to be there is the idea of promoting Israel as a place where the women are the most beautiful. While this is true, we don't need it to be mandatory for the cheerleaders to be there, I am sure, that since it is their job, they will be there anyways. And the people that need to know already know that Israel has the most beautiful women in the world.

The women's groups want Limor Livnat to change the way that cheerleading is currently compulsory, and penalised, not scrap the "tradition" entirely. Nobody is saying that women/girls who want to cheerlead don't have the right to, even if examing that right in depth would find it embedded in social expectations of women as objects, etc... Saddens me to see how quick people are to skim an article and make snap judgments. But your misleading headline doesn't add to the balance.

The league wants the revenue and cheerleaders are a proven method of increasing ratings. You can complain about it being a sad commentary on our society all you want. This is a religious/ideological issue. As an observer, all I can say that when religious authorities intervene in issues of dress or of separation of the sexes these same people behind this scream. Call them zealots or prudes just as you call the religious if you want to be fair about it.

eating disorders r mental problems that r not related at all you can have bulimia in society that find fat trade as atractive. and in sport like cheerleading yes it's a sport they r in the olympics, require thin sporty body it's part of the job, what kind of sport doesn't. and as for the fine cheerleading needs basketball team otherwise they would be out of the job who r they going to cheer, themselves???

If you dont like it.. dont go....

these feminists are such nasty bitches. deep down they wish they were the ones shown such attention as the hot cheerleaders. Feminists deserve to rot. Nothing of what they say means anything nor makes any sense except to people of their own kind.

yep good idea, no female cheerleaders (we can have males, that would be not sexist) no female models (we can have only male models) no female politicians (we can have only male politicians) and ummmm no female journalists too? When do we stop? How silly!

The secular left wants to make sure that the religious world stay out of basketball. Perhaps if there was more freedom with choice, a religious person may purchase a team. This would turn to separate seating, kosher food, and no games on shabbat. Making cheerleaders mandatory is a good, diplomatic way of keeping the religious out of basketball. Just a thought....Perhaps its a bit far fetched.

Israel needs more Jews, and it is our responsability to create a culture of passion and flirtation. Dancing get men excited, then they go home and make babies, where is the harm?

#29 has an interesting take on it. For some reason all the girls in the picture are kind of thick-set. This is not a criticism, not at all. The way that they're raising their arms is enough to make an emergency bedroom call.