Women's groups protest Ramon post in Kadima

By GIL STERN STERN HOFFMAN
The heads of women's organizations across the political spectrum joined forces Tuesday in a letter to Kadima leader Tzipi Livni, protesting her appointment of outgoing MK Haim Ramon as chairman of the party's governing council. Ramon on Tuesday submitted his resignation from the parliament, after 26 years of service, to Knesset speaker Reuven Rivlin. His resignation takes effect 48 hours later, on Thursday, and he will make his farewell speech to the Knesset on Wednesday. The women's groups said it was improper of Livni to appoint Ramon to such a prestigious post after he was convicted of sexual harassment for a July 12, 2006, incident, in which he gave an unwanted kiss on the lips to a female soldier at the Prime Minister's Office. "Ramon is a convicted sex offender and Tzipi Livni should be ashamed of herself for appointing him," said Hannah Kehat, head of the religious women's organization Kolech. "Ramon is not a man who should have a public role. A party that claims to fight corruption is putting a convicted felon at the top. "Any woman who respects herself wouldn't vote for such a party. Tzipi became a feminist for her campaign, but now it's been proven a lie." Livni's spokesman responded that Ramon had "paid a personal and public price and was allowed by the courts to return to full political activity."