Every Israeli poll tells the same discouraging story, and not because of the numbers but because of the photos above them. They are all men: the current leaders, the aspiring leaders, the future leaders. Today, not one woman heads a political party or is considered a serious candidate for national leadership.
This is not surprising in a society built on militarism. In Israel, political power has long flowed from the IDF. But the cost is high: Our leadership is not only mostly male but also limited and failing.
This is not a critique of men who have dedicated their adult lives to defending Israel and are now joining in the political system due to their passion to serve. They should be commended for their public courage. But we, the citizens, should not accept that men will almost exclusively handle state affairs, including national security. We fail to demand gender-balanced leadership, even though societies with diverse leaders make more effective, resilient decisions.
Women in leadership positions
True, Israel was among the first countries in the world to have a woman serve as prime minister, but even in Golda Meir’s government, she was the only woman at the cabinet table. More recently in the Bennett-Lapid government, a breakthrough was achieved: nine female ministers and 10 female directors-general of ministries when the government was formed. But when that government ended, women again disappeared from centers of decision-making. Today, only one woman serves as an acting director-general.
This absence comes at a cost. Look at the negotiating team working to bring home the hostages, made up almost entirely of men, and failing. The Four Mothers movement, which forced Israel’s justified withdrawal from Lebanon (2000), had to act outside government because there was no such voice inside. Currently, among the most courageous and uncompromising voices demanding an end to the war and the return of their kidnapped sons in Gaza are the women leading today’s hostage families Yet they, too, are excluded from the rooms where decisions are made.
The issue is not symbolic. A political system without women at the table is distorted. It is less effective, less representative, and less just. And we are paying the price.
Representation on the national stage
Just as women are already breaking barriers in local government by being elected as mayors and regional council heads, so, too, must we work toward more equal representation on the national stage. That means voters must stop accepting a reality where women are destined at best to “decorate” party lists, only to locate themselves in marginal roles after the elections, while in some parties they are not represented at all. It’s time for real change:
The responsibility is ours. First and foremost, it obligates us to see women as leaders, to empower them, and to help them reach leadership positions. The responsibility also lies with the male leadership. They should look around and understand that the fact that they don’t see women beside them is a result of a distortion they are obligated to correct – even if it’s at their expense – and that they must prioritize gender balance in choosing lists and management roles.
Israelis trapped in endless wars and failed leadership deserve better. As elections approach, we must demand a leadership that is more diverse, more representative, and more female. Only then can we break free of the stranglehold of narrow, male-dominated politics, and begin to build a future that reflects all Israeli society.
The writer is J Street-Israel’s executive director. He has served as an Israeli diplomat in Washington and Boston and as a political adviser to the president of Israel.