'You're a disgrace to women': MKs clash over domestic violence debate

Knesset members engage in heated debate on the end of the National Insurance Institute's partnership with the Michal Sela Forum, an organization dedicated to addressing domestic violence.

 Merav Ben Ari, Limor Son Har Melech  (photo credit: Chaim Goldberg/Flash90, DANI SHEM TOV/KNESSET SPOKESPERSONS OFFICE)
Merav Ben Ari, Limor Son Har Melech
(photo credit: Chaim Goldberg/Flash90, DANI SHEM TOV/KNESSET SPOKESPERSONS OFFICE)

A sharp confrontation was recorded recently between Knesset member Merav Ben-Ari (Yesh Atid) and Knesset member Limor Son Har-Melech (Otzma Yehudit) during a discussion on the National Insurance Institute in the Knesset.

The conflict stemmed from the topic of the termination of the National Insurance Institute's assistance to the Michal Sela Forum, an organization that aims to prevent domestic violence against women.

Son Har-Melech's verbal attack on Ben Ari

"I am ashamed of the fact that there is a populist move here. It aligns with your agenda. You are a disgrace to the female population." Son Har-Melech proclaimed to Ben Ari. 

Son Har-Melech then asked the chairman of the committee, MK Oded Forer (Yisrael Beytenu), "When there is a phenomenon on the scale of tens of thousands of women and the response is in the mere tens, one must ask a question about the response. Does it really provide a solution for these women? I want to ask you, how many women have actually been helped with this project?"  

In response to the repeated interruptions during the debate, Zvika Fogel (Otzma Yehudit) ordered the altercation to be stopped.