Yitzhak Rabin's granddaughter to join Ehud Barak's newly formed party
Noa Rothman says she's set out to fight extremist views in Israeli society; adds her firsthand knowledge of what incitement and hatred can lead to has contributed to her decision to join the former prime minister's new political endeavor
Noa Rothman is the latest addition to the former prime minister and defense minister’s new political movement, which he announced last week, years after retiring from politics. The 77 year old called it a response to the prime minister's recent move to consider the canceling of the September 17 elections he himself had led the nation to.
"The decision to join politics wasn’t easy, but I can’t sit on the sidelines anymore,” Rothman said. “I’ve seen from up close the price of hatred and incitement. We shouldn’t accept extremist views in Israeli society.
“We can’t sit and wait, expecting someone else to do the work for us, this is the duty of my generation.”’
The 42-year-old screenwriter and lawyer admitted she’s had disagreements with Barak in the past but she still views him as a suitable candidate to counter the current government. "The time has come for people who are courageous and determined … who are willing to pay the price.”
Barak said he’s “very happy” that Rothman decided to join his party. “It’s our duty to pass the torch to the next generation and not leave them with the same problems and challenges the old leadership had to deal with,” said Barak. “I intend to do everything I can in order to reset the direction our country is headed, so the future of our children and grandchildren will be better than our present.”
Yitzhak Rabin was one of Israel's leading military figures and political leaders. He was the seventh IDF chief of staff and was later elected prime minister twice, in 1974 and in 1992.
As prime minister, he led Israel during the period of the Oslo Accords, which attempted to set the groundwork for a peace agreement with the Palestinians. On November 4, 1995, right-wing extremist Yigal Amir shot and killed Rabin following a peace rally in Tel Aviv.
