Israel is ‘afraid’ of the abortion issue

Debates on abortion in the US show how far behind Israel remains regarding women’s issues, Dr. Eli J. Schussheim, head of the Efrat organization, opined in an Arutz Sheva interview Friday. 

Schussheim, who returned recently from a tour in the US and Canada promoting his Efrat organization to save fetal lives, lamented that Israeli politicians “hide” from the abortion issue. 

“The fact is, today [abortion] is the #1 cause of loss of human life – more than [terror] attacks and car accidents,” he stated. “But they [Israeli politicians] prefer to avoid it – they are afraid of women’s organizations.” 

Schussheim noted that he, contrary to activists in countries abroad, still supports the notion of women having free choice in the matter. Indeed, abortion is permissible under certain circumstances in Jewish law. 

“A few years ago, priests who are against abortion came to us and showed us what they were doing – holding mass demonstrations and encouraging harm to doctors who perform abortions,” he said. “I asked them how many children they have rescued this way, and they were silent.” 

“We never do demonstrations – we only give over information for the woman to decide,” he continued. “I showed the priests the names of all the children we rescued.”

“Contrary to all the [political] parties in the world who fight against abortion through law, for us it is not the law, but by [the woman’s] free choice,” he added. “We were able to prevent the abortion of 66,000 babies alive today, some of whom already have their own children.” 

Part of the financing for Efrat stems from a couple who had an abortion after marriage – and, 18 years later, has not been able to bear children. 

“Today, there is no specialist in the world who can ensure that the treatment and the operation will succeed, but I can assure any woman that if you refrain from getting an abortion – you won’t regret it,” he concluded.