Israeli Knesset Passes Gender Segregation Law in Academia Amid Controversy

The Israeli Knesset approved a controversial law allowing gender-segregated academic tracks for master's and doctoral degrees in a final vote held overnight between Wednesday and Thursday. The bill passed with 52 votes in favor and 43 against, marking the last legislative measure in a political deal between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and ultra-Orthodox parties. Opposition members protested during the vote, holding signs stating "Segregation is exclusion." Avigdor Lieberman, leader of Yisrael Beiteinu, criticized the law, warning it turns Israel into a theocracy and urged academic institutions not to cooperate with it.

Earlier the same day, the Knesset also passed legislation weakening the authority of the Attorney General, alongside laws related to Torah study, freezing arrests of draft-dodging ultra-Orthodox men, and canceling kosher certification reforms. The Association for Civil Rights in Israel and the Movement for Quality Government petitioned the Supreme Court to annul the Attorney General law, arguing it severely undermines the independence of a key government oversight mechanism and threatens fundamental rights such as freedom of expression, equality, privacy, and due process. The Movement for Quality Government highlighted that Netanyahu, facing criminal charges, aims to dismantle the institution overseeing his prosecution.

In a rare bipartisan move, the coalition and opposition also passed the "Combat Veterans" bill, led by coalition chairman Ofir Katz. This law allocates 45 million shekels to provide personalized rehabilitation treatments and expanded benefits for combat veterans and their families through the Defense Ministry's rehabilitation department. Katz called the legislation historic and pledged ongoing support for Israeli soldiers.