(Washington Times) Aaron Sagui - On June 16, 1974, Richard Nixon became the first U.S. president to visit Israel. This week, President Obama has become the fifth president to do so, in a visit that underscores the advancements Israel has made in only four decades. Israel has pursued gender equality with vigor. By 1974, Golda Meir had already served as Israel's first female prime minister, but the Knesset only had 11 female members. Today, the Knesset boasts 27 female members - a higher percentage of women than in the U.S. Congress. In 1974, women were relegated to clerical positions in the military. Today, they are fighter pilots. Arab-Israelis have served in every Knesset since the beginning of the state. After the latest election, there are 11 Arab-Israeli Knesset members representing three Arab parties. In 1974, 50,000 Israelis studied in an Israeli university. Today, 125,000 Israelis are enrolled in Israel's universities. The writer is spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in Washington.
2013-03-22 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive