Struck responds to criticism: "I was lucky to marry an Algerian - I am both"

In her conversation with 103fm, Minister of Settlements Orit Struck addressed the claims leveled against her party, Religious Zionism, that it is composed only of men of Ashkenazi descent. In addition, she addressed the current visit of Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington and explained that, in her view, it was essential at this time.

"I think he has an interest in presenting our position regarding all the conflicts in the arena. Iran is at the center, and all the other arenas: Gaza, Lebanon, Syria - which the US does not see as much of a hostile arena, but we do."

Later in their conversation, the minister sharply attacked the words of the former commander of the Central Command, Major General (res.) Avi Mizrahi, who claimed yesterday on 103fm that the incident in the village of Tel was not a terrorist attack, and accused him of justifying the murder of Jews:

"These things are a disgrace. They would be a disgrace if they were said by just a person who justifies the murder of Jews, but they are said by a person who was previously a commander in the same sector and is supposed to know the fact that for many years these trips have been taking place. To come and say that it is a provocation, friction, a conflict? It is simply a disgrace."

"Avi Mizrahi is supposed to know that these trips take place every Friday, and nothing of this kind has ever happened in them. Therefore, this is slander against people who are no longer among the living."

"I was lucky to marry an Algerian husband - I am both"

The minister addressed the claims her party faced regarding the lack of Mizrahi representation, and argued that since she married a man of Algerian descent - she is actually a Mizrahi woman:

"A party headed by a woman, a woman who for 45 years has also been Mizrahi, because I was lucky to marry an Algerian husband - I am both."

In any case, Struck believes that this is not the essential question at all:

"When you look at a list for the Knesset, you need to look first and foremost at what its members know how to do, and what they can bring. I think that the members of this list are the people who brought the best results, the most significant moves in the outgoing Knesset and the outgoing government."

"When you choose who will be your doctor, or who will clean your house, or who will do any job for you that is important to you to be done in the best way - you do not check which ethnic group he is from and where he lives," she argued. "You check his execution capabilities. As a woman who goes to doctors. Just like that, in a routine visit, I will certainly prefer a woman. If special professionalism is needed here - I am not interested. I am interested in it being the most professional person who knows how to do the best job."