Labor Party leader MK Merav Michaeli made a dramatic departure from her regular all-black attire on Wednesday when she appeared in Knesset wearing a head-to-toe red outfit.
Michaeli, who is currently the only female party leader in the Knesset, has become known for her signature black outfits, which she wears in order to make sure people don’t focus on what she is wearing, but rather on what she is saying.
יו"ר העבודה מרב מיכאלי חרגה ממנהגה ללבוש שחורים, והגיעה היום למשכן הכנסת לבושה באדום לאות הזדהות עם מחאת הנשים נגד ההפיכה המשטרית. pic.twitter.com/I08lzXLG4S
— arik bender (@arikbender) March 15, 2023
So when she walked into the Knesset plenum on Wednesday morning in a red suit, it was immediately clear that on this occasion she wanted people to look at what she is wearing, so they would pay more attention to what she is saying.
According to Michaeli, her decision to wear red stemmed from a desire to show support for the women protesting against judicial reform and against the government, although she is set to speak about the reason in more detail during a speech later in the day.
A "more balanced" bill for domestic abuse
Also in the Knesset plenum later on Wednesday, a bill regarding perpetrators of domestic violence will be presented for a preliminary reading.
The bill focuses on the issue of requiring those convicted of domestic abuse to wear an electronic tracking bracelet, something that was first put forward by Yesh Atid MK Merav Ben-Ari and then-justice minister Gideon Sa’ar.
The previous law passed its first reading in the last days of the previous Knesset, and although a bill that passes its first reading may continue after an election with preparation for second and third readings, the coalition did not agree to continue with it.
In addition, a debate over a separate bill proposal by Sa’ar was postponed by the ministerial committee on legislation for six months.
However, whereas the original version of the law required that there to be just one conviction of domestic abuse in order for the perpetrator to be ordered to wear a tracking bracelet, an altered version of the law is being considered by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, in which two previous convictions will be required for the perpetrator to be forced to wear one.
According to a spokesperson from the National Security Ministry, Ben-Gvir has decided that the bill must become “more balanced” before it is able to be passed, so the coalition is expected to vote against the bill as it currently stands during the preliminary reading. It will then go back to a committee for preparation ahead of a first vote.