Israeli Parliament Approves Gender Segregation in Graduate Studies Amid Controversy

The Israeli Knesset finalized approval of a bill introduced by MK Limor Son Har-Melech from Otzma Yehudit, permitting gender segregation in advanced academic degrees such as master's and doctoral programs. The bill passed with 52 votes in favor and 43 against during the overnight session between Wednesday and Thursday. The amendment to the Student Rights Law allows segregated study tracks only within classrooms, not in public academic spaces, and participation is voluntary. Academic institutions must seek specific approval from the Council for Higher Education (CHE) to implement such programs.

Supporters argue the law removes barriers for religious and ultra-Orthodox students, enabling broader access to higher education. Son Har-Melech stated the law will promote women from sectors previously lacking adequate advancement. Roy Asaf, head of the government authority for socio-economic development of the ultra-Orthodox sector, said it will increase employment opportunities for ultra-Orthodox women. CHE representative Ron Kotin highlighted the significant underrepresentation of academics in the ultra-Orthodox community, with only 13% compared to 46% in the general population.

Opponents, including the parliamentary opposition and university presidents, warned the law could deepen gender segregation, harm women's equality, and degrade teaching and research quality. They cautioned that unlike undergraduate programs designed to accommodate ultra-Orthodox students lacking core studies, graduate degrees focus on research and labs where segregation is unnecessary and could create "second-class degrees." They also warned of potential academic disparities, especially in women-only tracks, which could undermine professional training in healthcare and other fields.

Earlier in the week, deans of all nine Israeli medical schools sent a stern letter to Knesset members warning that applying the law to medical and health studies would severely damage healthcare quality and public health. They stressed that gender should not override expertise in training medical professionals.

Hagit Pe'er, chair of Na'amat, condemned the law as a "nail in the coffin of women's rights in Israel," calling it a social and moral assault that undermines academic excellence and signals a troubling trend toward expanding gender segregation in public spaces such as buses and malls.