Israeli Universities and Medical Schools Warn Gender Segregation Bill Threatens Public Health and Academic Quality

All Israeli universities and the nine deans of medical schools have issued a severe warning against a proposed law that would dramatically expand gender segregation in higher education institutions. The bill, expected to pass its second and third readings this week, would allow gender separation not only in classrooms but also in public spaces such as cafeterias, libraries, and laboratories. Currently, gender segregation is limited to separate campuses for first-degree studies within ultra-Orthodox frameworks, aiming to integrate the Haredi sector into academia and the workforce. The proposed changes represent a significant departure from this model.

University leaders have expressed deep concern that the bill will harm women and severely damage the quality of education and research. In a letter to the Prime Minister and Minister of Justice, they emphasized that academic independence is essential for Israel’s development and called the bill detrimental to the nation’s growth engines. Ben-Gurion University held an emergency meeting on the issue, while Bar-Ilan University sent a letter to the Knesset Education Committee warning that the law is harmful to Israeli academia and the public it claims to represent.

The deans of all medical schools in Israel issued a stark alert that applying the law to medical and health professions education would endanger the quality of medical care and public health. They posed a rhetorical question: if a family member needed surgery, would one prefer the best professional or a surgeon chosen by gender? They described the bill as a direct threat to Israeli citizens’ health.

The bill overturns a previous Supreme Court ruling that prohibited gender-segregated studies in advanced degree programs. The Knesset Education Committee approved the bill for further readings amid heated debate and protests, with some attendees shouting "shame" at coalition members. The legislation’s passage would mark a major shift in Israeli higher education policy with broad implications for academic freedom and public welfare.