Yesh Atid MK Aliza Lavie accused Labor leader Shelly Yachimovich of ugly politics Tuesday, for allegedly refusing to “cancel out” with an MK who had just given birth.
“Canceling out” (“kizooz”) is a parliamentary routine in which members of opposing factions agree that because a member of one party cannot be present at a vote, a member of the other party will also refrain from voting, thus leaving the balance of votes intact.
MK Lavie wrote on her Facebook page that in a plenum speech, Yachimovich accused Yesh Atid chairman, Finance Minister Yair Lapid, of insensitivity toward working women, and had asked him from the Knesset podium, “Don't you understand that a housewife is also someone who extends her birth leave a little?”
"After ending her speech,” wrote Lavie, “before she had time to fold up the papers it was written on, Finance Minister Yair Lapid approached her and requested that the Labor party cancel out with MK Karin Elharar. Last week, Karin gave birth to her firstborn son, Yoav, after a C-section, and now she is still bedridden.
"MK Yachimovich's answer was short and clear: 'No way!!' Is this the Opposition leader's contribution to encouraging women to join the work force? Is this the example she is providing for all of the employers who avoid employing women out of concern that they will go on a birth leave?”
"Despite the attempts to explain the special, sensitive circumstances to Yachimovich, she said resolutely: 'No matter what the reason, the Labor party will not cancel out with Yesh Atid.'
"It appears that Yachimovich's 'sisters' are only from one political sector,” concluded Lavie.