The official photo of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new cabinet, April 1, 2009, includes two female ministers(see top photo). The Daily Advance reports that the Israeli newspaper, Yated Neeman, digitally removed ministers Limor Livnat, (on the right side of Netanyahu), and Sofa Landver, (on the left). The two women were replaced with Ariel Atias and Moshe Kachlon, respectively.(See bottom image).

They may serve as ministers, but two ultra-orthodox Israeli newspapers cut Limor Livnat and Sofa Landver out of the inaugural photo of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new cabinet.

Why? Apparently, (the papers have not commented) they were digitally removed because they are women.  The Daily Advance explained: “Ultra-Orthodox newspapers consider it immodest to print images of women.”

According to The Daily Advance, “The daily Yated Neeman digitally changed the photo, moving two male ministers into the places formerly occupied by the women. The weekly Shaa Tova simply blacked the women out, in a photo reprinted Friday by the mainstream daily Maariv.”  See large versions of the photos for “before and after” photoshop alterations comparisons on SuomenKuvalehti.fi.