Otzma Yehudit MK halts Knesset discussion of boss’s move to cut domestic abuse program funds
A Knesset discussion on the National Security Ministry’s decision to cut off funding for the Michal Sela Forum’s programs for women at risk of domestic abuse has been shut down after just 20 minutes, following a shouting match between two lawmakers.
Knesset National Security Committee head Tzvika Fogel cuts off the discussion after MK Merav Ben Ari repeatedly interrupts fellow lawmaker Limor Son Har-Melech as she attempts to question whether the Sela Forum’s programs do any good.
Both Fogel and Har-Melech are from the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, headed by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who decided in February to cut off funding for the programs, claiming without evidence that the organization was using the money for personal gain and not to help women.
The Michal Sela Forum, named for a woman who was murdered by her partner in 2019, operates two personal security programs: one that provides threatened women a panic button with which to summon a guard at a moment’s notice, and another program whereby women are given a specially trained guard dog.
In the meeting, Ben-Ari, of the Yesh Atid party, repeatedly challenged Har-Melech’s claims that the programs failed to help women or offer “real” solutions to the issue of domestic violence. Fogel repeatedly threatened to shut down the discussion, as Ben-Ari struggled to contain her frustration, and eventually a shouting match broke out, with Yisrael Beytenu MK Oded Forer joining in against Har-Melech’s unsubstantiated claims.
It is unclear why Fogel shut down the discussion rather than removing Ben-Ari, which is normal procedure for dealing with a troublesome lawmaker.
Last year, Ben Gvir delayed legislation enabling electronic tracking of domestic abuse offenders, which the Forum had advanced in cooperation with the previous government. The bill eventually passed, after the minister inserted modifications that he said would protect men from false abuse allegations.
