Women’s rights are on a sharp decline in Israel. Advocates blame Netanyahu’s far-right government

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Article Women’s rights are on a sharp decline in Israel. Advocates blame Netanyahu’s far-right government

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Elsacat

695

Dec 24 2025, 8:42 PM

https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/24/middleeast/israel-womens-rights-netanyahu-intl-cmd

https://archive.ph/p7FNr

Quote:The decline in women’s rights is measurable. Israel’s global standing on gender equality has plunged in recent years. In the 2025–26 Women, Peace and Security Index, produced by Georgetown University, Israel ranks 84 of 181 countries – behind Albania, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. Before the current government came into power three years ago, it ranked 27.

sadge - Clover, Impress Polly, MenacinglyLavender

Elsacat

Dec 24 2025, 8:42 PM #1

https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/24/middleeast/israel-womens-rights-netanyahu-intl-cmd

https://archive.ph/p7FNr

Quote:The decline in women’s rights is measurable. Israel’s global standing on gender equality has plunged in recent years. In the 2025–26 Women, Peace and Security Index, produced by Georgetown University, Israel ranks 84 of 181 countries – behind Albania, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. Before the current government came into power three years ago, it ranked 27.

LeftFem

Dec 25 2025, 9:29 AM

Right wing governments in every country is worse for women.

That said, how is it behind Saudi Arabia?

thistbh - Clover, Persephone, eyeswideopen, Impress Polly

LeftFem

Dec 25 2025, 9:29 AM #2

Right wing governments in every country is worse for women.

That said, how is it behind Saudi Arabia?

Clover
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1,458

Dec 25 2025, 2:32 PM

(Dec 25 2025, 9:29 AM)LeftFem Right wing governments in every country is worse for women.

That said, how is it behind Saudi Arabia?

Yeah, behind Saudi Arabia is quite a feat. One thing I was reminded of that was Dworkin essay, it was titled something like Israel -- Whose Land Is It Anyway? from the 90s and I've been wanting to share it here I just keep forgetting. But in it, she actually details the misogyny of Israel, like the patriarchal governing system. I thought because it was written in the 90s that maybe things had gotten better since then (when I want to share it here I was wanting to also look up the things she talked about to see how they changed since she wrote her essay), but now reading this CNN piece, I am worried that perhaps Israel's claims of being so "progressive" compared to Middle Eastern Islamic countries is kind of like a puff piece:

CNN article One bill under debate at Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, which could be finalized in the coming weeks, would dramatically expand the authority of state-run religious courts to handle civil disputes. These courts, staffed exclusively by men who rule according to Jewish law, already oversee marriage and divorce proceedings, including for secular couples. Under the proposed legislation, they would gain power to rule on financial disputes, business matters, and potentially child custody issues.

“This bill seeks to place women’s fate in the hands of a religious judiciary that inherently discriminates against them,” said Bonot Alternativa, the women’s protest group that once led the Women in Red. “We will not allow the government to force us into marriage with a system that despises us,” it said in a statement while its members protested as gagged brides in chains outside a rabbinical court in Tel Aviv earlier this month.

That sounds regressive af and really reminded me of Dworkin's essay.

Edited Dec 25 2025, 2:33 PM by Clover.

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Clover

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Dec 25 2025, 2:32 PM #3

(Dec 25 2025, 9:29 AM)LeftFem Right wing governments in every country is worse for women.

That said, how is it behind Saudi Arabia?

CNN article One bill under debate at Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, which could be finalized in the coming weeks, would dramatically expand the authority of state-run religious courts to handle civil disputes. These courts, staffed exclusively by men who rule according to Jewish law, already oversee marriage and divorce proceedings, including for secular couples. Under the proposed legislation, they would gain power to rule on financial disputes, business matters, and potentially child custody issues.

“This bill seeks to place women’s fate in the hands of a religious judiciary that inherently discriminates against them,” said Bonot Alternativa, the women’s protest group that once led the Women in Red. “We will not allow the government to force us into marriage with a system that despises us,” it said in a statement while its members protested as gagged brides in chains outside a rabbinical court in Tel Aviv earlier this month.

That sounds regressive af and really reminded me of Dworkin's essay.

Kozlik's regular member account. 🍀🐐

LeftFem

Dec 25 2025, 2:40 PM

(Dec 25 2025, 2:32 PM)Clover
(Dec 25 2025, 9:29 AM)LeftFem Right wing governments in every country is worse for women.

That said, how is it behind Saudi Arabia?

Yeah, behind Saudi Arabia is quite a feat. One thing I was reminded of that was Dworkin essay, it was titled something like Israel -- Whose Land Is It Anyway? from the 90s and I've been wanting to share it here I just keep forgetting. But in it, she actually details the misogyny of Israel, like the patriarchal governing system. I thought because it was written in the 90s that maybe things had gotten better since then (when I want to share it here I was wanting to also look up the things she talked about to see how they changed since she wrote her essay), but now reading this CNN piece, I am worried that perhaps Israel's claims of being so "progressive" compared to Middle Eastern Islamic countries is kind of like a puff piece:

CNN article One bill under debate at Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, which could be finalized in the coming weeks, would dramatically expand the authority of state-run religious courts to handle civil disputes. These courts, staffed exclusively by men who rule according to Jewish law, already oversee marriage and divorce proceedings, including for secular couples. Under the proposed legislation, they would gain power to rule on financial disputes, business matters, and potentially child custody issues.

“This bill seeks to place women’s fate in the hands of a religious judiciary that inherently discriminates against them,” said Bonot Alternativa, the women’s protest group that once led the Women in Red. “We will not allow the government to force us into marriage with a system that despises us,” it said in a statement while its members protested as gagged brides in chains outside a rabbinical court in Tel Aviv earlier this month.

That sounds regressive af and really reminded me of Dworkin's essay.

I honestly thought for all their many many many many faults, they were better at this at least than the region, but that law is terrible

LeftFem

Dec 25 2025, 2:40 PM #4

(Dec 25 2025, 2:32 PM)Clover
(Dec 25 2025, 9:29 AM)LeftFem Right wing governments in every country is worse for women.

That said, how is it behind Saudi Arabia?

Yeah, behind Saudi Arabia is quite a feat. One thing I was reminded of that was Dworkin essay, it was titled something like Israel -- Whose Land Is It Anyway? from the 90s and I've been wanting to share it here I just keep forgetting. But in it, she actually details the misogyny of Israel, like the patriarchal governing system. I thought because it was written in the 90s that maybe things had gotten better since then (when I want to share it here I was wanting to also look up the things she talked about to see how they changed since she wrote her essay), but now reading this CNN piece, I am worried that perhaps Israel's claims of being so "progressive" compared to Middle Eastern Islamic countries is kind of like a puff piece:

CNN article One bill under debate at Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, which could be finalized in the coming weeks, would dramatically expand the authority of state-run religious courts to handle civil disputes. These courts, staffed exclusively by men who rule according to Jewish law, already oversee marriage and divorce proceedings, including for secular couples. Under the proposed legislation, they would gain power to rule on financial disputes, business matters, and potentially child custody issues.

“This bill seeks to place women’s fate in the hands of a religious judiciary that inherently discriminates against them,” said Bonot Alternativa, the women’s protest group that once led the Women in Red. “We will not allow the government to force us into marriage with a system that despises us,” it said in a statement while its members protested as gagged brides in chains outside a rabbinical court in Tel Aviv earlier this month.

That sounds regressive af and really reminded me of Dworkin's essay.

I honestly thought for all their many many many many faults, they were better at this at least than the region, but that law is terrible

Impress Polly
The kind they warned you about.

163

Dec 26 2025, 8:06 PM

(Dec 25 2025, 2:40 PM)LeftFem I honestly thought for all their many many many many faults, they were better at this at least than the region, but that law is terrible

You're thinking of the liberal, less religious ones. They don't run the place anymore and probably never will again.

Israel has never taken male violence against women especially seriously. You can't both do that and also have rabbis determine whether or not you're allowed to divorce. The new law being proposed is calculated to eliminate women's financial independence as well, thus forcing them into marriages they can't get out of. One day, perhaps in the not-so-distant future, they, like Iran, will have to choose whether they wish to be a democratic country or a theocracy because continuing to be both is unsustainable. We know which route they'll choose. It's ain't called Zionism for nothing.

Jews are not an exception.

Edited Dec 26 2025, 8:07 PM by Impress Polly.

Impress Polly

The kind they warned you about.

Dec 26 2025, 8:06 PM #5

(Dec 25 2025, 2:40 PM)LeftFem I honestly thought for all their many many many many faults, they were better at this at least than the region, but that law is terrible

LeftFem

Dec 27 2025, 7:22 AM

(Dec 26 2025, 8:06 PM)Impress Polly
(Dec 25 2025, 2:40 PM)LeftFem I honestly thought for all their many many many many faults, they were better at this at least than the region, but that law is terrible

You're thinking of the liberal, less religious ones. They don't run the place anymore and probably never will again.

Israel has never taken male violence against women especially seriously. You can't both do that and also have rabbis determine whether or not you're allowed to divorce. The new law being proposed is calculated to eliminate women's financial independence as well, thus forcing them into marriages they can't get out of. One day, perhaps in the not-so-distant future, they, like Iran, will have to choose whether they wish to be a democratic country or a theocracy because continuing to be both is unsustainable. We know which route they'll choose. It's ain't called Zionism for nothing.

Jews are not an exception.

True, but Saudis didn't allow women to drive until a few years back, not sure still how socially accepted that is. Going out required a male relative to accompany you.

To see Israel's new laws starting to go beyond even that is shocking.

LeftFem

Dec 27 2025, 7:22 AM #6

(Dec 26 2025, 8:06 PM)Impress Polly
(Dec 25 2025, 2:40 PM)LeftFem I honestly thought for all their many many many many faults, they were better at this at least than the region, but that law is terrible

You're thinking of the liberal, less religious ones. They don't run the place anymore and probably never will again.

Israel has never taken male violence against women especially seriously. You can't both do that and also have rabbis determine whether or not you're allowed to divorce. The new law being proposed is calculated to eliminate women's financial independence as well, thus forcing them into marriages they can't get out of. One day, perhaps in the not-so-distant future, they, like Iran, will have to choose whether they wish to be a democratic country or a theocracy because continuing to be both is unsustainable. We know which route they'll choose. It's ain't called Zionism for nothing.

Jews are not an exception.

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