Notices of the work stoppage were posted on embassy and consulate websites worldwide (Photo: The Embassy of Israel to the United States)

Israel’s diplomats go on strike

Workers at the Foreign Ministry initiated a harsh new round of labor sanctions, potentially jeopardizing visits of foreign dignitaries and planned trips abroad by Israeli officials. The strike, which has also temporarily suspended all consular services to Israelis abroad, came after months-long talks with the Finance Ministry broke down earlier in the week. If no…

International Woman's Day rally in Nazareth (Photo: Al Ittihad)

Women in Israel: Earn 30 percent less than men

The average monthly salary in 2012 was NIS 10,953 for men compared to NIS 7,244 for women – meaning women earned 66.1 percent of the average male salary. These figures were taken from a Central Bureau of Statistics  (CBS) report released on Tuesday ahead of International Woman’s Day. The rate of labor force participation of…

Adi organ donor card (Photo: Adi)

Meeting held in Knesset to encourage organ donation

A meeting was held in the Knesset to encourage organ donations among the Arab-Palestinian national minority in Israel.  The event was attended by Arab leaders, including mayors and heads of local authorities, transplant surgeons and Dr. Bishara Bisharat, director of the English Hospital in Nazareth. It was initiated by the Israel Transplant Center. MK Dr.…

Hadash demonstration in Tel-Aviv, December 2011. The banner said: "Democracy we'll defend it, so that it will defend all of us." (Photo: Lisa Goldman)

ACRI opposes yet another anti-NGO bill

On Sunday March 2, 2014, the Ministerial Committee for Legislative affairs reviewed a bill tabled by extreme-right MK Miri Regev  (Likud) – an amendment to the Non-Profit Organizations Law under which the state will be able to prevent an organization’s registration if any of its objectives contradict the definition of “Israel as a Jewish and…

Demonstration against settlement construction in occupied East Jerusalem, May 2011 (Photo: Activestills)

New constructions in the settlements more than doubled in 2013

The number of new housing constructions initiations in the occupied West Bank increased by 123.7 percent last year, according to Israeli official government data released last Monday. The Palestinians, Hadash  and the Israeli peace movements have long viewed Israeli settlement construction as a major obstacle to peace talks, arguing that Israel is actively building on…

Bill: Reducing women’s economic dependence

The ministerial committee passed a bill which will reduce women’s financial reliance on their husbands. According to the law, which was promoted by MKs Dov Khenin (Hadash) and Aliza Lavie (Yesh Atid), social welfare payments will now be transferred to a couple’s shared account instead of to the man’s account. The hope is that this…