Controversial remarks – Zeev
Photo: Zoom 77
Shas MK: Female troops must behave
Shas MK Zeev stirs row during Knesset discussion on sexual harassment in military
Shas Knesset Member Nissim Zeev stirred a row at the Knesset Committee on the Status of Women Tuesday after making some controversial comments in respect to female soldiers.
During a discussion on sexual harassment in the army, MK Zeev said female troops must be instructed so they know "how to behave." Later he said that while some female soldiers would interpret certain acts as sexual harassment, others would view them as a compliment.
MK Orit Zuaretz (Kadima,) who engaged in a heated exchange with Zeev over his statements, later told Ynet: "There must be a red line. A public official has great responsibility when he says something."
"There are very clear definitions of sexual harassment," she said. "The responsibility for sexual harassment must be entirely attributed to the harassers."
According to figures presented during the meeting, about 360 women complain about sexual harassment in the army every year. However, according to anonymous polls, tens of thousands of women have been subjected to sexual harassment in the military.
Following the meeting, Likud MK Tzipi Hotovely told Ynet that the gap between the official figures and anonymous reports is "intolerable."
"The IDF must make every effort to prevent and minimize this phenomenon," she said.
Turning her attention to MK Zeev's comments, Hotovely said: "It's very important not to turn the victims into the guilty parties…among other things, I noted that as a religious person he must keep in mind that Jewish law forbids sexual harassment in order to maintain a woman's dignity."
