The Knesset voted 52-43 to approve an modification to the Scholar Rights Regulation permitting upper schooling establishments to supply gender-segregated graduate level methods, in a vote held within the early hours of Thursday morning.
The law, Modification No. 12, 2026, used to be backed by way of MK Limor Son-Har Melech (Otzma Yehudit). Below the modification, upper schooling establishments might function gender-segregated methods for complex levels.
At establishments that differently be offering mixed-gender research, segregation will probably be approved simplest in school rooms and just for scholars who make a selection to sign up for the methods.
An uproar erupted within the plenum when opposition lawmakers held up indicators studying, “Segregation is exclusion,” to protest the law.
MK Adi Ezuz of the In combination Birthday celebration mentioned: “The most misogynistic government in Israel’s history is knowingly harming women’s rights in an unprecedented manner. Blessed be the fruit.”
The proposal’s explanatory notes said: “Currently, the Council for Higher Education allows institutions of higher education to operate gender segregated study programs, generally for bachelor’s degrees only, subject to additional conditions and restrictions under the framework it established.
“It’s proposed to explain in law that the supply stipulating that the lifestyles of separate find out about methods for women and men for spiritual causes may not be regarded as discrimination additionally applies to grasp’s and doctoral level methods. That is meant to permit those that, as a result of their spiritual ideals, are not able to take part in combined instructional research to pursue complex levels in a much wider vary of fields.”
Yisrael Beytenu chairman MK Avigdor Liberman responded to the law’s passage: “The federal government of the October 7 bloodbath is making an attempt to show the State of Israel right into a state of ayatollahs. This legislation is being added to what’s already taking place in Bnei Brak: segregation of men and women on public sidewalks. I name at the heads of universities and educational establishments to not cooperate with this insanity.”
MK Merav Michaeli mentioned: “There is not any such factor as separate however equivalent. Under no circumstances in a coalition that acts in each approach in opposition to equality. Towards equality between men and women, in opposition to equality in sharing the load, in opposition to equality sooner than the legislation. A coalition that believes spiritual Jewish males are price greater than each lady and each guy, in each box and at any price. The entirety else is lies and gaslighting.”
Son-Har Melech said, “Nowadays, the Knesset said obviously that authentic freedom of selection additionally comprises the proper to check one at a time. For years, a unmarried worldview used to be imposed at the public, fighting hundreds of men and women from advancing in academia with out forsaking their way of living.
“The law we approved today does not impose anything on anyone. It expands freedom, enables diversity and respects the human mosaic of Israeli society. Anyone who believes in pluralism must also know how to accept choices that do not conform to their worldview.”
