The number of female Knesset members has increased by only six since the establishment of the first Knesset in 1949, a report published by the The Knesset Information and Research Center found.

There are currently 17 women in the Knesset.

The three parties with the highest number of women MKs are Israel Our Home (27 percent), Kadima (20.5 percent) and the Labor Party (16 percent), said the study, which was published as the Knesset celebrated its 58th anniversary on Monday. 

Despite their low representation in the 16th and 17th Knesset (totaling only 14 percent), women MKs excel in legislation, the study showed. MK Zahava Gal-On of the Meretz faction has proposed the highest number of bills in the 16th Knesset – 154, and former MK Gila Finkelstein from the National Religious Party passed most bills – 13.

Since the Knesset was established only two Arab Women served as MKs: Hussniya Jabara who was an MK in the 15th Knesset for the Meretz faction and Nadia Hilou who is currently an MK for the Labor Party in the 17th Knesset. There has never been a woman MK for one of the ultra-Orthodox parties.

The current Knesset is the first to have a woman in the position of Speaker of the House.

'Quality of government going downhill'

During a meeting of the Committee on the Status of Women, Chairman Gideon Sa'ar called for more commitment and action in rectifying the under-representation of women in the Knesset, "which has not changed much since the foundation of the State of Israel and the establishment of the Knesset."

Deputy President and Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik opened the day's special session with birthday wishes for the Knesset and said that "of the three branches, the legislative branch is now the weakest. The time has come to put the house in order."

Labor MK Avishay Braverman said, "The quality of the government is going downhill. There are too many corruption affairs and the public no longer respects the Israeli parliament or the government."

MK Avshalom Vilan of Meretz added: "There is no doubt that the Knesset is in need of several improvements. We should be spending more time in meeting rooms and less time in investigations."

MK Yoram Marciano (Labor) was less critical of the Knesset, saying that,"In the nine months that I have been serving in the Knesset I have learned that this place is full of people who have come here to work and make a difference. What unites them all is their great love for the people of Israel."

Miri Chason contributed to the report