WIZO Israel hosts emergency meeting following death of Michal Sela

Sela was murdered last Thursday night in her Motza home outside of Jerusalem, seemingly by her husband Eliran Malul, who then attempted to take his own life.

By TAMAR URIEL-BEERI
Michal Sela, who was stabbed to death in October 2019. (photo credit: Courtesy)
Michal Sela, who was stabbed to death in October 2019.
(photo credit: Courtesy)
The Women’s International Zionist Organization (WIZO) hosted an emergency meeting at its Tel Aviv office on Thursday with the Social Emergency Coalition to Combat Violence Against Women following the death of Michal Sela, who was murdered, allegedly by her husband, in front of their eight-month-old infant.
Sela was found stabbed to death at her home in Motza outside Jerusalem on October 3, seemingly murdered by husband Eliran Malul, who then attempted to take his own life. He, in turn, was discovered badly injured on the steps of a neighbor’s porch. Police found Sela in their home with multiple stab wounds.
Malul’s actions were reportedly premeditated due to comments by Sela’s sister, Lily Ben-Ami, on Facebook, who claimed that Malul at their last family dinner argued that “the suffering of the attacker is bigger than that of the victim.”
The meeting, which included members of both women’s and men’s welfare organizations, was targeted at addressing the lack of systemic treatment of domestic violence.
The coalition was initially created to implement a national program which may prevent and treat violence against women, which was already approved by the government in 2017 but has not yet allocated most of its budgets.
The event was coordinated by WIZO Israel chairwoman Ora Korazim and was attended by representatives of the Women’s Lobby, Emuna, Na’amat, the Council of Women’s Organizations and several other groups.
“There is a systemic and ongoing failure to deal with the phenomenon of violence against women and it is time to say, ‘No more!’” said Korazim. “All of society, both men and women, has the responsibility to do everything to stop violence against women. The government must wake up and address this social terror by all means necessary.”
In addition, a new women’s protest was announced on Thursday to be held on Saturday evening in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv.
“We are running a marathon and we will not give up, will not be silenced with idle promises, and will not sit at home and wait for the fateful decision of those who do not see us,” the organizers’ statement said. “This is not a demonstration, it is not a protest rally; it is an act that will rattle the whole country.”
The statement additionally announced a protest against violence in the Arab sector, which will take place on Friday morning in front of MK Gilad Erdan’s house.
Protests among Arab-Israelis have been raging throughout the country for over a week now due to the rise in violence in the sector, including household violence against women.
Erdan was heavily criticized by Arab Israelis for his so-called neglect of the serious issue. He attacked Arab officials earlier in the week, claiming that they interfere with police work and “in their culture disputes – rather than ending with a lawsuit – end with a knife or weapon being drawn.”
Results of the WIZO-organized meeting are expected to be released soon.


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