Former Labor Ministry Chief Alleges Dismissal Over Gender Discrimination
Former Labor Ministry Director-General Tair Ifargan revealed she was pushed out due to her gender, ending her public service career and highlighting ongoing discrimination.
Tair Ifargan, the former Director-General of the Ministry of Labor and the number eight candidate on the "Yashar!" party list for the Knesset, revealed the circumstances that led to the termination of her tenure eight months before its scheduled conclusion.
Speaking on the podcast "Lech Techapes" hosted by Yossi Marshak from All in, Ifargan described her working relationship with the Minister of Labor, Yoav Ben Tzur from the Shas faction. She noted that government work under his leadership was characterized by a lack of professionalism and substantive discussions.
The breaking point occurred when Ifargan was summoned to the minister's office. While waiting outside, a member of the minister's staff approached her. "He told me: 'You should know that the minister appreciates you very much and thinks you are super professional'," Ifargan recounted, adding, "Then he said: 'But the fact that you are a woman is an issue.'"
Expressing profound shock, Ifargan stated, "First, I fell silent, which is very unlike me. But mostly, I felt three worlds of mine collapsing: one, I am a woman in 2026, what on earth did I just hear? Two, I am the Director-General of the Ministry of Labor, the irony is dead. And three, I have three daughters at home, what kind of world are they growing up in?"
Ifargan concluded that she was ultimately replaced by an ultra-Orthodox man, bringing an end to her two decades of public service. A request for comment was sent to former minister Yoav Ben Tzur, and his response will be published upon receipt.