Jezebel: Israel

Meet the Speed Sisters, Palestinian Race Car Drivers Intent on Winning

Dodai Stewart — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST

Pictured above is Noor Daoud. She was born in Texas, likes fast cars, but also was on an Olympic swim team and on the Palestinian national soccer team. Right now, though, she's focused on racing Formula 3. According to reports, Daoud is the first Palestinian, male or female, to participate in and win an Israeli race. And she's not alone: More »

Israeli Conference Says Female Doctors Have No Business Talking About Vaginas

Margaret Hartmann — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 23:49:00 EST

The issue of gender segregation has been growing more heated in Israel, and there's an ironic twist to the latest incident. A major conference on gynecology is only featuring male presenters, because really, what the hell do female researchers know about the functions of the wily vagina? More »

Israeli Women Enraging Some Men By Refusing To Move To Back of the Bus

Erin Gloria Ryan — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:40:00 EST

Controversy has erupted in Israel over several women refusing to move to the back of the bus for men. Proponents of public transportation gender segregation say that they're only looking out for the ladies' modesty, but opponents say forcing women to move for men puts Israeli society on a slippery slope that could lead to women losing other rights, like voting. Women! When will they stop causing problems? More »

Orthodox Israelis Spit On Whorish 8-Year-Old Girl For Going To School

Erin Gloria Ryan — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 15:40:00 EST

An American girl attempting to walk to her Jewish school in Israel is subjected to daily taunting and physical intimidation so bad that she says it makes her afraid to go to school. Her tormenters aren't fellow children, but rather adult men upset by the presence of the "immodest" girls attending school in their ultra-Orthodox neighborhood. And now, the town's male residents are clashing with police and media over their the gender integration they say insults their faith. Eight-year-old girls can be such whores. More »

Seven Things You Should Know About Egypt's Elections

Erin Gloria Ryan — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 19:00:00 EST

Today, Egyptians are heading to the polls to cast their ballots in the first stage of the first truly free parliamentary elections in the country since Hosni Mubarak seized power in 1981. Enthusiasm is tempered by suspicion, and security is tight. But what in the world is going on? More »

The New Push For Gender Segregation In Israel

Margaret Hartmann — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 10:10:00 EST

The recent battle over whether women can be told to sit in the back of a public bus in Brooklyn to uphold Orthodox Jewish rules against the mingling of the sexes gave New Yorkers a very small taste of the battle that's currently going on in Israel. Though ultra-Orthodox Jews are a minority in the country, they're pushing to apply their religious rules in more public areas, and secular Jews are balking at the idea of sanctioning gender segregation. More »

Michele Bachmann's Hand-Written Kibbutz Letter Is Kind Of Sweet

Irin Carmon — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 14:35:00 EDT

Here's a letter eighteen-year-old Michele Bachmann wrote in the diary of Ziva Yellin, at the end of Bachmann's summer on Yellin's Kibbutz, Beeri. In 1974, remarking on Yellin and her friend being bilingual, Bachmann wrote, "I feel stupid next to both of you." More »

Parents Fight To Use Dead Son's Sperm To Create Posthumous Grandchild

Michelle Goldberg — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 12:56:00 EDT

Last fall, 27-year-old Ohad Ben-Yaakov was injured in an accident at his part-time job, and he died after two weeks in a coma. Ben-Yaakov wasn't married, nor was he in a relationship. No woman was pregnant with his child. Nevertheless, his devastated parents believe it's not too late for them to become the grandparents of his offspring. And because they live in Israel, the world capital of in-vitro fertilization and a country that regularly pushes the envelope on reproductive technologies, they might get their wish. More »

Former Israeli President Sentenced To Seven Years For Rape, Sexual Harassment

Irin Carmon — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 12:02:18 EDT

Former Israeli president Moshe Katzav, who in December was convicted of two counts of rape, sexual harassment, committing an indecent act while using force, witness harassment and obstruction of justice, will serve seven years in prison and two year's probation. More »

Huckabee Waxes About "Israeli Girls In Bikinis"

Irin Carmon — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 13:30:21 EST

Mike Huckabee says of one of many Israel trips, "We had stopped by to see where Jesus was baptized, and instead there were these great-looking Israeli girls in bikinis, just showing off and flirting." Do those count as unholy thoughts? More »

Bra-Gate Is A Lot Less Fun Than It Sounds

Irin Carmon — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST

A pregnant Arab-Israeli journalist protested earlier this week after she was asked to take her bra off in a security search for a government cocktail party. The Israeli government press office has apologized for what's being called (awkwardly) Bra-Gate. More »

Work-Life Balance For Ultra-Orthodox Female Soldiers

Irin Carmon — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 11:45:00 EST

Ten married Ultra-Orthodox women will join the Israeli army, in an unusual move. (Religiousness, marriage, and pregnancy are reasons for exemption from conscription.) Also, "The women will be permitted to take their young children to the bases where they serve." More »

Israeli President Convicted Of Rape, Sexual Assault

Irin Carmon — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 09:25:34 EST

The former president of Israel has been convicted on two counts of rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment and obstruction of justice, relating to three women who worked for him. A judge said Moshe Katzav's testimony was "riddled with lies." More »

Tourists Flock To Harry Potter Tombstone

Katie Luscombe — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 13:05:00 EST

Tourists are consistently drawn to the small Israeli town of Ramle, thanks to the tombstone of deceased British soldier Harry Potter. Fans know damn well that the tombstone is utterly unrelated to the character, but that's not gonna stop them. More »

Watch DWTS' First Same-Sex Couple Perform

Margaret Hartmann — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 11:08:14 EDT

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This week, openly-gay sportscaster Gili Shem-Tov shared her first dance with Dorit Milmanon on Israeli Dancing With The Stars. While usually, "the man must show his masculinity and the female is very sensual," Milman says their performances will emphasize "mutualism." More »

Women For Sale, So To Speak

Katie Luscombe — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 17:27:00 EDT

[Tel Aviv, October 19: A woman stands in a store window at a shopping mall with price tags on her hand. The store, opened for a day, was used to raise awareness of the trafficking of women. Image via Getty.]

Ashton & Demi Escape Cheating Rumors By Jetting To Israel

Dodai Stewart — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher are in the Holy Land!

Rabbi Approves "Honeypot Sex" For Female Spies

Irin Carmon — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 15:57:00 EDT

In a study, "Illicit sex for the sake of national security," an Israeli rabbi has noted that seducing the enemy is sanctioned by the Bible, most famously in the Esther story. Question: What is the dude equivalent of "honeypot"? More »

"Rape By Deception" Case Gets Even Worse

Sadie Stein — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 13:47:00 EDT

You'll recall the "rape by deception" case, in which a court convicted a Palestinian man, based on the fact that, had the woman known he was not Jewish, she would not have slept with him. Well, the plot thickens. More »

Hillary Takes On Official Handshake-Overseer Duties

Margaret Hartmann — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:19:00 EDT

[Washington, D.C., September 2: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton looks on as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, right, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands as she hosts the re-launch of direct negotiations at the State Department. Image via AP.]

When The Callous Soldier Is Female

Irin Carmon — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:03:00 EDT

Many have been unable to resist comparing Eden Abergil, who posted on Facebook photos of herself as a soldier posing casually with blindfolded Palestinians, to Lynndie England. One difference among many: the role her gender has played in the debate. More »

For This Girl, Every Day Is Earth Day

Katy Kelleher — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:03:00 EDT

[Tel Aviv, August 10. A girl plays with mud during an event to raise awareness for an ecological park in Tel Aviv, Israel. Image via AP]

The Burqa Ban...For Orthodox Jewish Women

Irin Carmon — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 17:16:02 EDT

Ultra-Orthodox rabbis in Israel are about to issue an edict banning a particular outfit adopted by a few women — because it's too modest. That outfit? A burqa. More »

Biker Bride Bucks Tradition

Katy Kelleher — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:15:00 EDT

[Tel Aviv, July 25. Bride Yulia Tagil smiles on the backseat of a motorcycle as she arrives to her alternative wedding ceremony at a square in Tel Aviv, Israel]

As If The Palestinian Faux-Jew Rape Case Needed To Get More Complicated

Sadie Stein — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:23:00 EDT

New information about Sabbar Kashur, the 30-year-old Palestinian convicted of "rape-by-deception" following consensual sex with a woman who thought he was Jewish, Kashur, in fact married with two children, has been under house arrest since the 2008 incident. More »

Palestinian Man Is Convicted Of Rape After Lying About Being A Jew

Sadie Stein — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 11:32:00 EDT

A Jerusalem court's decision to jail 30-year-old Sabbar Kashur for 18 months has made legal history — and is causing a furor across Israel. More »

Israeli Soldiers Dance To Ke$ha, Bring Peace To The Middle East

Irin Carmon — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 15:30:00 EDT

The Israeli soldiers dancing to "Tik Tok" aren't being disrespectful! They're simply showing how dance can heal the world. More »

Hope Floats

Anna Holmes — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 19:10:00 EDT

[Dead Sea, Israel; June 8. Image via AP]

Helen Thomas Announces Retirement

Irin Carmon — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:40:00 EDT

After controversial comments about Jews and Israel, which drew denunciations from the White House among others, Helen Thomas, 89, has announced that she will retire from her position as a columnist for Hearst newspapers. It's effective immediately. [Hearst, Earlier] More »

Rose-Colored Glasses

Anna Holmes — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 10:10:00 EDT

[Jerusalem, June 6. Image via Getty]

Helen Thomas: When An Icon Disappoints

Irin Carmon — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 10:00:00 EDT

Whatever you think of Helen Thomas's comments about the Jews and Israel, it's clear that her status as a pioneering icon for outspoken women in public life will forever be colored by this controversy. And maybe that's okay. More »

Upwardly Mobile

Anna Holmes — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:10:00 EDT

[Jerusalem, June 2. Image via AP]

Everything But The Kitchen Sink

Anna Holmes — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 13:10:00 EDT

[Tel Aviv, June 1. Image via Getty]

Flower Girl

Anna Holmes — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 11:10:00 EDT

[East Jerusalem, June 1. Image via AP]

Nobel Laureate Mairead Maguire Also Captured By Israeli In Raid Of Humanitarian Ships Bound For Gaza

Megan Carpentier — Mon, 31 May 2010 12:00:00 EDT

At about 4 am local time, Israeli military forces launched a raid on 6 vessels in international waters carrying 700 activists and 10,000 tons of humanitarian supplies destined for the Gaza Strip. Israel claims nine activists were killed. More »

Annie Carmen Get Your Gun

Dodai Stewart — Thu, 20 May 2010 18:10:00 EDT

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[Baden-Baden, May 19. Image via Getty.]

Onward, Upward

Anna Holmes — Wed, 19 May 2010 17:10:00 EDT

[Jerusalem, May 18. Image via AP]

Go West, Young Woman

Anna Holmes — Fri, 14 May 2010 15:10:00 EDT

[Jerusalem, May 14. Image via AP]

Cheerleaders In Jerusalem Do Their Best To Be Un-Sexy

Irin Carmon — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 10:00:00 EDT

When Israel's basketball league recently required that each local team have a cheerleading squad, ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel objected; they didn't want to watch any pre-game bumping and grinding. Jerusalem's Hapoel team has a compromise: modestly-attired cheerleaders with less-suggestive moves. More »

Dirt So Good

Anna Holmes — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 15:10:00 EDT

[Nitzanim, Israel; April 1. Image via Getty]