The measure is intended to allow the ultra-Orthodox and religious public to hold events and studies in accordance with their lifestyle, not to impose on the general public.

By World Israel News Staff

A new demand by the Religious Zionism and United Torah Judaism parties in the ongoing coalition negotiations with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party is that a separation of sexes at religious and ultra-Orthodox public events not be considered discrimination by law, Hebrew-language Israel Hayom reported Sunday.

Sources pushing for the measure emphasize that they have no desire to bring gender segregation or the exclusion of women among the general public; rather, it would allow the ultra-Orthodox and religious public to hold events and studies in accordance with their lifestyle.

The origin of the legal issue of gender segregation, Israel Hayom explains, is the law prohibiting discrimination in products and services, which states that it is forbidden to discriminate in the provision of a public service or in the operation of a public place, among other things, due to gender.

Over the years, a series of petitions were filed against gender segregation. In August 2019, for example, Israel’s High Court overturned a lower court ruling that had allowed the Afula municipality to hold a concert geared for the ultra-Orthodox community with separate seating for men and women, upsetting religious lawmakers.

“The court said no to the fundamental rights of the haredi public,” said Eliezer Ruddin, who represented ultra-Orthodox Shas party MK Moshe Arbel. “The court perpetuates secular extremism and interference with values ​​that are important to minority communities.”

Former attorney-general Avichai Mandelblit had submitted a summary of guidelines and conditions according to which local authorities could hold a public event with gender segregation, among them a situation where mixed seating would prevent a certain public from participating. Another condition is that the segregation must be voluntary rather than forced.

Former deputy attorney-general Dina Zilber, together with feminist lobby groups and others, had fought against gender segregation.

“While in Iran brave women are fighting for their rights, in Israel Smotrich and his chardalim (ultra-Orthodox nationalists) are trying to send women behind the barriers and put into law the separation between women and men,” Prime Minister Yair Lapid commented.

“Where is Likud? Why are they silent? Iran is not here,” he added.

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Apparently fearing negative publicity, especially with the attendance of an MK, BGU finally allowed the event to proceed.

By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News

A newly sworn-in MK from the Religious Zionism party lit candles on the campus of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in memory of the victims of the deadly Ariel terror attack on Tuesday, less than a day after the university’s staff had deemed the commemoration a “political provocation.”

Hours after a Palestinian terrorist murdered three Israeli civilians in a stabbing and ramming attack, Im Tirtzu activist and Ben-Gurion University student Clara Bensoussan organized a candlelight vigil to honor the victims.

But university administrators said that Bensoussan’s memorial could not be held on campus, calling it a “political event” that must be cleared with staff at least two days in advance.

After Bensoussan told media about the university’s position, the educational institution released a statement charging that she was attempting to “take advantage of the attack to incite a provocation.”

MK Almog Cohen, of the Otzma Yehudit faction within the Religious Zionism party, joined Bensoussan and supporters at the campus on Wednesday morning. Apparently fearing negative publicity, BGU allowed the event to proceed.

Cohen, who was sworn into the Knesset on Tuesday, said “he took advantage” of his new immunity as an MK and was proud to light candles for “the uplifting of the souls of the martyrs from [yesterday’s] terrible attack in Ariel. May they rest in peace.”

In a statement Wednesday morning, Bensoussan slammed the university for suggesting that she had an ulterior motive for the vigil and expressed her offense at the claim that demonstrating solidarity for Jewish victims of terror is inherently provocative.

“We cannot be allowed to be slandered by the spokeswomen of the university,” she responded in a statement. “The attempt to claim that I tried to incite provocation, just because I wanted to light candles, indicates an emotional [ignorance]. I immigrated from France, I served in [the Border Police], and I did it proudly for the State of Israel.

“I dreamed of the moment when I could study at an academic institution in Israel without fear of expressing my national identity,” she said.

“It is not clear how, out of all people, the spokeswoman of the university chose to issue a statement that I tried to take advantage of the attack. Those who are afraid of any basic expression of national identification – need to hold themselves accountable.”

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Netanyahu and Smotrich reportedly have not spoken in several days, apparently unable to resolve their differences. Zionist rabbis are urging Smotrich not to back down. 

By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

Zionist rabbis who back the Religious Zionism party called on its chairman Monday not to back down on his demand for the Defense Ministry in coalition negotiations with Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party.

The group, headed by the doyen of the nationalist stream, 90-year-old Rabbi Haim Druckman, said that MK Bezalel Smotrich must “unequivocally and uncompromisingly stand up to the demand for the position of Minister of Defense in order to strengthen the security of the State of Israel, strengthen the spirit of the IDF, prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state and regulate the settlements in Judea and Samaria.”

Furthermore, the party, which is expected to be the second-largest faction in the coalition, should also stick to its demand for the Education and Religious Affairs portfolios because “it is of the utmost importance that religious Zionism lead the efforts for the Jewish identity of the state in the spirit of the Torah of Israel.”

The group also appealed to prime minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu to “recognize the power, value and partnership of Religious Zionism, which won the trust of over half a million voters and received 14 mandates.”

Meanwhile, reports indicate that Netanyahu and Smotrich have not spoken since Wednesday, apparently unable to resolve their differences over the ministries.

With a possible eye on the job themselves, senior Likud members have tried to dissuade Smotrich from the position.

Likud MK Yoav Galant, a former candidate for chief of staff, used the experience card, telling Kan Reshet Bet that “Smotrich is a smart man, but by what right can he be defense minister?”

“What moral authority does he have to send people on missions that they may never return from, when he himself never did this?” he added.

A left-wing movement called Commanders for Israel’s Security, whose members are former senior officials of the IDF, Mossad, Shin Bet and Israel Police, also denigrated his ability to head the office and implied that he would let his political leanings influence his work.

“The security of the State of Israel and in particular the position of the Minister of Defense require responsibility, seriousness and making only professional decisions on a daily basis,” they said. “Therefore, the security file should be given to a responsible and experienced hand in dealing with security issues.”

Smotrich hit back, specifically reminding Galant that in 2019 he praised Likud hawk Moshe Arens upon his death as “one of the best defense ministers Israel had ever had,” even though Arens had never served in the IDF.

Israel has had several defense ministers in the past without significant or direct military experience, including  Shimon Peres, who was also a prime minister, and Amir Peretz.

Smotrich in fact had served for 14 months, at age 28, in the Operations Division of the General Staff, and has said that although his experience was short, it was significant.

“It’s true, I didn’t get to be a combat fighter, and I didn’t run around on the hills,” he said in a Ynet interview last month, “but I was in the nerve center of the army, in the general headquarters. In the places where they sit and manage the army, make the decisions and write the operational plans. I played a very significant role there that I cannot and do not want to detail.”

The division of portfolios is taking a longer time than Netanyahu had expected, as he is receiving pressure from the senior members of his own party not to give away the top ministries. Shas party head Arye Deri is demanding the Finance Ministry, and Netanyahu is reportedly seriously considering offering the Foreign Ministry to one of his top confidantes, former ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer.

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