Cowed Arab Woman Vacates Israeli Feminist Party; Threatened "Running for Election Will End Badly"

An Arab woman was forced to withdraw her candidacy in a new pan-Israel women's political party because of threats, the Jewish Press website reports today (September 8, 2013).

The party -- Ometz Lev (Courage) -- was founded by Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Naomi Tsur and Councilwoman Edna Friedman to push for women's rights. They intended to include all sectors of Israeli feminist society in the party, including Arab and Hareidi women.

When they registered and had to reveal the names of the candidates on their slate, the east Jerusalem Arab woman's name was included. And then several threats -- believed to be from radical Muslims -- were made to the woman.

"It started with telephone calls to my home," says the woman. "The calls warned me that running for election is to acknowledge the sovereignty of Israel over the east (part of the city) and it will end badly." Ultimately, she says, her family pressured her to remove her candidacy. "We need you alive," said her relatives, and so she gave up the idea.