The first deaf woman to enter the Israeli Knesset and take the oath in a historical precedent

Member of Parliament Shirley Ventou took the oath before the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, today, Wednesday, in sign language, as the first deaf woman to enter the Knesset, for the first time in the history of Israel.

Jerusalem – Sputnik. And the Israeli channel “E24 News” reported, “For the first time in the history of Israel, a deaf female deputy in the Israeli Knesset took the oath, and Shirley Ventou (Yamina) entered the Knesset after the resignation of Minister Matan Kahane of the Yamina party from the Knesset within the framework of Norwegian law. “.
The channel added that “the new deputy took the legal oath before the General Assembly in sign language.”

According to the channel, “Knesset Speaker Mickey Levy ordered the preparation of a special parliamentary package to help her and enable her to better perform her parliamentary function. For this, Ventou met in recent days with the Knesset Secretary and with specialists in the technical department in the Knesset to determine her special needs and find solutions that would help her perform.” her daily tasks.

The Knesset acknowledged that Representative Ventou should receive assistance during the debates from an interpreter who translates everything that is said in the hall into sign language and speaks in her voice on her behalf through Madonna’s microphone that is connected to the central speaker system in the plenary. Being assigned a seat helps her to see the translator up close and at the same time allows her to participate in everything that is happening in real time in order to allow the possibility to respond, ask questions and speak from the podium and the microphone in the back of the room.

Soon, a special light bulb will be installed in her room, which will be lit after the alarm bell is heard before voting on the Knesset’s decisions.

It is noteworthy that the new deputy, Ventou, 32, was a social activist to advance the rights of the deaf, and worked as a voluntary advisor to the mayor of Ramat Gan in central Israel on issues related to people with special needs. Before the 2019 elections, she joined the New Right party with Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked.