Decline of Women's Rights in Israel Under Netanyahu's Government

In recent years, Israel has witnessed a significant decline in women's rights, attributed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government, which relies heavily on ultra-Orthodox parties. This coalition has initiated a series of legislative changes that threaten to reverse decades of progress in gender equality, as evidenced by a drop in Israel's ranking on the Women, Peace and Security Index from 27th to 84th globally.

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The proposed legislation in the Knesset aims to expand the authority of state-run religious courts, which are predominantly male and governed by Jewish law, to handle civil disputes, including financial and child custody matters. Critics, including the women’s protest group Bonot Alternativa, argue that this move would place women’s rights in the hands of a judicial system that inherently discriminates against them. Daphna Hacker, a law professor at Tel Aviv University, noted that the current government has not made any permanent appointments of women in senior roles across ministries, further diminishing women's representation in public life.

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Historically, Israel has been recognized for its advancements in women's rights, including the 1951 Equal Rights for Women Law and the election of Golda Meir as one of the world's first female leaders in 1969. However, the current government's policies are seen as a backlash against these achievements, with women now "virtually absent" from key decision-making processes.

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Opposition voices, including Merav Cohen, chair of the Knesset committee on the status of women and gender equality, have condemned the government's actions as the worst for women in Israel's history. Cohen emphasized that the government's indifference to the escalating violence against women, including a notable increase in femicide, reflects a broader societal trend where women's rights are being undermined by a politically powerful religious minority.

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Personal accounts from women affected by the judicial changes highlight the challenges they face. One woman, identified as Moriah, described her experience in rabbinical courts as an "anti-woman institution," where she felt marginalized and powerless. Her struggles with custody and financial disputes illustrate the systemic disadvantages women encounter within this legal framework.

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The surge in violence against women in Israel has reached alarming levels, with 44 women murdered in 2025, marking the highest annual tally in a decade. Advocates link this increase to a rise in gun ownership, exacerbated by recent policy changes that have made it easier for individuals to obtain firearms.

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The Israeli Ministry for Social Equality has not publicly commented on the proposed legislation or the broader implications for women's rights. However, the sentiment among women's advocates is clear: the current trajectory of policies under Netanyahu's government poses a significant threat to gender equality in Israel.

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As the Knesset continues to debate the proposed expansion of religious court authority, women's rights groups are mobilizing to protest these changes. The outcome of this legislation will likely have lasting implications for the status of women in Israel, as advocates warn that the government is normalizing a regression in women's rights.

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