Renee Rabinowitz Wins Case Over Ultra-Orthodox Demand That She Be Moved On El Al

Renee Rabinowitz was asked to switch seats on an El Al flight from Newark to Tel Aviv in 2015 because a strictly Orthodox male passenger did not want to sit next to her. CreditUriel Sinai for The New York Times

Women's rights in Israel have seen a steady erosion in recent decades, although there is no high-pitched debate around a liberal abortion policy in the country. In fact, about 97% of women who seek state financing for abortion are approved. Israel approves abortions as late as 40 weeks of pregnancy.

The most obvious erosion of women's rights in Israel centers around issues of religion and gender in public spaces. Now 83-year-old Renee Rabinowitz has won a critical court ruling, suing the strictly Orthodox male passenger who demanded that she be moved from her El Al aisle business-class seat when he boarded Flight 028 bound for Tel Aviv from Newark in December 2015. Strictly Orthodox Jewish men believe they are contaminated and tempted in the close proximity of women who are not their wives. 

Ms. Rabinowitz, who lived through traumatic days of the Nazis in Europe, moved reluctantly. But she landed in Israel determined to take action. This week a Jerusalem court ruled that gender segregation and the movement of passengers to accommodate gender discrimination was illegal on El Al. 

“This is a common story; it happens to many,” Anat Hoffman, the director of Israel Religious Action Center who represented Ms. Rabinowitz, said of the pressure on women to change seats. Ms. Hoffman called the verdict “a breath of fresh air” and compared Ms. Rabinowitz to the Israeli actress who starred in the movie “Wonder Woman.” “Like Gal Gadot, Renee has superpowers,” she said.

Green Party's Jill Stein Says She'll Happily Testify About Her Support For Putin's Ideas

Politico writes that the Green Party candidate has no regrets, even as she's coming into the spotlight over questions about her own presence at Putin's Mike Flynn table at the RT dinner.

Congressional Dems want to talk to her as well, and given the insidious level of lies and treachery in the 2016 Congressional election -- and the Russians' co-opting Berners on social media -- we want to know why she was celebrating RT, owned by the Russian govt. Was she paid as Flynn was?

For the Congressional investigation to be valid, all stones must be unturned. That includes Stein and anyone else involved with the Russians, no matter what party.

Stein can shrug it off all she wants. Stein is a traitor to us -- not for Hillary, but for Trump. Only a truly narcissistic personality could sleep at night over her actions, after Hillary won the primary. ~ Anne

Related: Foreign Greens Think the US Green Party Needs to Ditch Jill Stein VICE

Alaska Rep Senator Lisa Murkowski Reaffirms Vote Against Any Plan That Defunds Planned Parenthood

Alaska's Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski is one of the most important swing votes in the health care debate, making her position on Planned Parenthood potentially pivotal to the shape of the final bill. Murkowski is one of two Republican women -- joined by Maine's Sen. Susan Collins -- who are folding firm on the argument that defunding Planned Parenthood will de facto end any possibility of her supporting a Republican-sponsored healthcare alternative to Obamacare. 

"I am committed to ensuring that important provisions of the ACA, such as covering those with pre-existing conditions, continued support for Medicaid expansion, coverage for dependents and no lifetime limits, and funding for Planned Parenthood remain intact," Murkowski wrote in the constituent letter obtained by Politico. .

When asked about the letter this week, Murkowski repeated that she wouldn't make a promise on a bill she hasn't seen. Instead, she said she is a "strong proponent [of Planned Parenthood] and I will fight to keep the funding in. I can't make promises or representations on bills that I don't know the contents of. I guess I'd have to see. But I have been solid on Planned Parenthood. It's all about access."

Republicans need 50 of 52 Republican senators to pass their plan, causing Vice President Mike Pence to break the tie. It seems unimaginable that the Republican plan won't include a defunding of Planned Parenthood plank. One more Republican senator willing to vote against the plan ends its hope of passage. Murkowski has severely criticized the Republican process of creating an alternative to Obamacare as too secretive, with no public hearings, no input from Republican women senators, and a proposed plan that the majority of senators have no knowledge about.