MK Nitzan Horowitz
MK Nitzan HorowitzFlash 90

On his personal Facebook page, MK Nitzan Horowitz (Meretz) attacked the possibility that MK Orit Struck will not be allowed on the party list of National Union, if it will join with Eli Yishai's new Yachad party. 

National Union/Tekuma Chairman Uri Ariel has been in talks with Yishai for days about the possibility of joining his party. However, recent statements by Rabbi Meir Mazuz, Yishai's spiritual mentor, that Yachad will not allow women on its list has put that deal in jeopardy. 

According to Mazuz, allowing women to join the party "is something I cannot rule on. For 70 years it has been accepted among the hareidim not to integrate women (into party lists) and that is (based upon) sources in the Talmud, Maimonides..."

"That a woman should speak in the name of the community until now has not been, and we don't want to make any innovations," he cautioned.

Horowitz responded to these reports and statements in a post Thursday morning. 

"You cannot suspect me of being a fan of Orit Struk. I even had several clashes with her in the Knesset. But the attempt to throw her from her own party just because she is a woman is shameful and repulsive," Horowitz wrote. 

"Despite my opposition to her direction and opinions, she is a hard-working and active Knesset member who has given faithful service to her constituents," Horowitz continued.  

"And now because [National Union may be] joining Eli Yishai, who does not want woman on the list of his right-wing hareidi party, Orit Struk is paying the price." 

In his condemnation, Horowitz also took the opportunity to lambast Struk and her fellow right-wing MKs. "I think this story needs to wake up a lot of women and men on the hard right: Look where extremism brings you." 

"You think that discrimination against Arabs or religious coercion against secular people strengthens you? Discrimination and coercion are cancers, and they spread to all organs [of society]," he added. 

"Discrimination and coercion destroy society, create poverty and violence, and harm everyone in the end. Even Orit Struk - a settler from Hevron," Horowitz concluded.