JERUSALEM (JTA) — Thousands of Israeli women will strike Tuesday to protest government inaction in dealing with violence against women — and they’re getting plenty of support.
Hundreds of companies and organizations, major cities and municipalities have vowed to back the campaign. In addition, over 200 institutions announced that they will join the strike, including the Knesset, the Social Security Administration, Civil Service Commission, the Social Workers’ Union, the Histadrut labor federation, the Women’s International Zionist Organization and the Na’amat women’s organization, Haaretz reported.
The strike was announced following the murder last week of two girls – Silvana Tsegai, 12, in South Tel Aviv and Yara Ayoub, 16, in Jish. Their killings bring to 24 the number of women and girls murdered in Israel this year, representing a dramatic increase over each of the past two years, when 16 females were murdered.
At 10 a.m. Tuesday, 24 minutes of silence will be held in memory of the 24 females killed. Some workplaces gave employees permission to wear black on Tuesday. Others will give striking employees the day off or allow them to use a vacation day for it.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sunday following a visit to a Jerusalem shelter for women that he would form and lead a ministerial committee on the fight against violence against women and children.
