Israeli Supreme Court Rejects Interim Injunction Against Separate Academic Study Tracks Law

The Israeli Supreme Court, sitting as the High Court of Justice, rejected a petition seeking a temporary injunction against an amendment to the Student Rights Law. This amendment allows higher education institutions to request the Council for Higher Education to open separate study tracks, including for advanced degrees. The court ruled that there is currently no basis to issue a temporary or conditional injunction and ordered the respondents to submit a preliminary response to the petition by September 17, 2026.

The petition was filed by Professor Yofi Tirosh and others, demanding that the state justify why the amendment, initiated by Knesset Deputy Speaker Limor Son Har-Melech of Otzma Yehudit, should not be repealed. Following the court's decision, Son Har-Melech welcomed the ruling, calling it "an obvious and necessary decision." She stated that the law aims to expand freedom of choice and make higher education accessible to populations previously underrepresented in academia.

Son Har-Melech further argued that the petitioners' opposition should not prevent thousands of Israelis from obtaining higher education. She urged academic institutions not to wait for the legal process to conclude and to begin submitting requests to the Council for Higher Education to open separate study tracks under the new law immediately.