Livni named one of 150 'women who shake the world'

"The Daily Beast" and "Newsweek" say Livni is 'leading advocate of two-state solution'; 2 other Israeli women named on list.

By GIL STERN STERN HOFFMAN
Tzipi Livni speaking (R) 311 (photo credit: REUTERS/Baz Ratner)
Tzipi Livni speaking (R) 311
(photo credit: REUTERS/Baz Ratner)
Opposition leader Tzipi Livni is one of the top 150 “women who shake the world,” according to a list compiled by Newsweek and the website Daily Beast in honor of the “Women in the World” conference taking place this week in New York.
The magazine praised Livni as a leading advocate of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a former foreign minister, and the first woman to serve as Israel’s opposition leader.
“Sometimes referred to as ‘Mrs. Clean,’ she has a reputation for an unusual level of integrity and honesty,” the magazine said.
Livni told Israel Radio that being included on the list was a compliment and strengthened her. However, she said she was not in politics to get good headlines, in Hebrew or English, but to change the country. Livni suggested that with this new honor, Israel could now take credit for more than just the Oscars of Jerusalem-born Best Actress winner Natalie Portman and Best Short Documentary winner Strangers No More.
“There is so little to rejoice in here [in Israel],” Livni said. “We rejoiced in the Oscars of a terrific actress who left Israel at age three and a movie about children whose future citizenship is in doubt. If now we see Israel in Newsweek with a positive headline, it’s wonderful.”
Two other Israeli women were included on the list: Peace activist Terry Greenblatt, who is the executive director of the Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights, and Jerusalem-born journalist Rula Jebreal, who wrote a screenplay that tells the story of three generations of Palestinian women through the eyes of a girl growing up in Jerusalem during the first intifada.
As part of the same conference, the magazine sponsored a poll, asking a representative sample of 400 American females about which women they admired the most.
Talk show host Oprah Winfrey finished ahead of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. They were followed by First Lady Michelle Obama, former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, former first lady Laura Bush, ABC anchor Diane Sawyer and former Alaska governor Sarah Palin.