Netanyahu Coalition Accused of Undermining Women's Rights

The current Israeli coalition government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has been criticized for actions and legislation perceived as detrimental to women's rights and safety. These include the failure to pass a bill for electronic monitoring of violent men, the expansion of rabbinical court authority into civil and financial disputes, and the legalization of gender segregation in advanced academic studies. Critics argue these moves disproportionately harm women and roll back progress made in previous administrations.

In March 2023, a bill to implement electronic tagging for violent offenders, intended to protect women at risk, was narrowly defeated in the Knesset by a vote of 54 to 53. Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir accused the opposition of exploiting women's murders for political gain. This occurred amidst a significant rise in femicides, with 44 women murdered in Israel in 2025, 32 of them by intimate partners or family members, highlighting the ongoing severity of domestic violence.

Further concerns were raised by the expansion of rabbinical court jurisdiction over civil and financial matters, passed in March with a 65-41 vote. These courts, which exclusively employ male judges due to Orthodox Jewish law, can now rule on any civil claim, not just marital issues. Critics warn that this expansion, coupled with the inability to appeal rabbinical court rulings and the lack of published decisions, could further delay divorce proceedings for women seeking to end marriages, including those known as agunot (chained women).

Legislation allowing gender segregation in advanced academic degree programs was approved in July, despite opposition from university heads who feared it could extend to other campus facilities. Additionally, coalition agreements stipulate that Israel will not join the Istanbul Convention, an international treaty aimed at preventing violence against women. The government has also seen a decrease in female representation, with only five female ministers (16%) in the current government compared to nine in the previous one, and no female directors-general appointed initially.

Political discourse also reflects these divisions. While parties like Shas and United Torah Judaism have no women in realistic positions on their electoral lists, and the Likud and Religious Zionism parties allocate minimal spots to women, opposition parties like Yesh Atid and Labor have proposed legislation to enhance women's safety. The article also notes that a significant portion of the religious and traditional public, including many Likud voters, support freedom of religion and conscience, and a majority of Jewish women oppose expanded gender segregation in public spaces.