Knesset advances controversial gender segregation bill for higher education

The Knesset plenary, in a preliminary reading, passed a proposed law that would amend the Students Rights Law, allowing most Israeli higher education institutes to implement gender separation, the Knesset Spokesperson announced on Wednesday.

The proposal seeks to amend the Student Rights Law of 2007, which stipulates that separate academic tracks for men and women for religious reasons will not be considered discrimination, the statement read. 

The bill will now be referred to the Knesset Committee to determine which committee will the proposed amendment. 

Otzma Yehudit MK Limor Son Har-Melech proposed the law, which 55 MKs supported and 45 MKs opposed. 

Har-Melech said, "The uniform structure of Israel's higher education system does not always suit the complex reality of Israeli society in all its diversity. On the ground, we see populations forced to remain outside the system simply because it does not accommodate them."

"This is not about coercion or restriction but about expanding the range of choices. The proposal is open to anyone who wishes to benefit from it and will allow higher education to become accessible to additional populations," Har-Melech said. 

Opposition MKs criticized the proposal 

Opposition MKs criticized the proposed bill as being discriminatory and as legitimizing segregation in Israeli society. 

Yesh Atid MK Merav Ben-Ari said, "This law represents everything wrong with Israeli politics. It is, in essence, a law bypassing the High Court, which rightly determined that such segregation is discriminatory."

"When you discriminate against women, you leave them behind. We’ve been here for two years, and not a single law supporting women has been introduced."

Former Labor Party leader and MK Merav Michaeli responded in a post to X/Twitter, saying, "It has been repeatedly proven that gender segregation in academia does not promote education or employment for the ultra-Orthodox community."

כבר הוכח שוב ושוב שהפרדה מגדרית באקדמיה לא מקדמת לא השכלה ולא תעסוקת חרדים. רק עוד הפרדה ועוד הפרדה, עוד אפליה, הדרה ופגיעה בנשים חרדיות ולא חרדיות. החוק להפרדה מגדרית באקדמיה הוא רק חלק מהמסע של הממשלה הזו להחזיר את הנשים למטבח. ממשלה שמפלה ומדירה נשים בכל מקום ובכל דרך. איראן?…

— Merav Michaeli מרב מיכאלי (@MeravMichaeli) December 4, 2024

"It only leads to more segregation, more discrimination, more exclusion, and more harm to both ultra-Orthodox and non-ultra-Orthodox women."

"The law for gender segregation in academia is just part of this government's campaign to send women back to the kitchen. A government that discriminates against and excludes women everywhere and in every way. Iran? It’s almost here."