
Tzipi Livni is poised to become Israel’s next prime minister - but ultra-orthodox newspapers in the Jewish state are refusing to publish her picture for reasons of religious modesty.
Israeli feminists have described the ban as ‘laughably ludicrous.’
The 50-year-old foreign minister and mother of two has been hailed by some of the world’s press as a ‘Mossad beauty’ but she has image problems closer to home.
Only about 600,000 of Israel’s 7 million population are haredi, or ultra-orthodox, but they pack a strong political punch and include key officials including cabinet ministers and the mayor of Jerusalem.
Their lifestyle is governed by a strict code with regulations for food, clothes, reading material and education which many critics say goes beyond the rules of orthodox Judaism.
Signs hanging at the entrance to the ultra-orthodox neighbourhoods in Jerusalem warn women to dress modestly in the area.
‘No haredi paper will publish Livni’s picture,’ said Avraham Kroizer, a public relations adviser to the incoming premier.
‘Graphic artists will blur the faces of women that do make their way into pictures that the papers want to use.
‘They will also blur pictures of television sets or other items deemed improper to be seen by the wider haredi public.’
Naomi Ragen, author of The Sacrifice of Tamar and other popular novels set in the ultra-orthodox world, said the ban on Livni’s photograph was ‘over the top.’
‘But I’m not surprised,’ said Ms Ragen, who campaigns for equal rights for religious women.
‘The haredi newspapers never publish pictures of women. Women don’t exist. These papers are the equivalent of a boys’ club.