Last week, the legal memoranda detailing the proposed reform was published. The reform contains many sections that harm women, one of the most obvious among them: a significant reduction in the representation of women in the committee for appointing judges.
Today women make up 44% of committee members. After the reforms, they will make up only 27%.
Today it is mandatory to have a member of the Knesset on the committee. After the reforms, there is no obligation for women to be represented among members of the Knesset. In other words, the Knesset does not guarantee that at least one woman on its behalf will be a member of the committee for the appointment of judges.
The legal system has an impact on the lives of all citizens of Israel, men and women alike. Despite this, for years women have suffered from discrimination and lack of representation in it. In 2014, after strenuous activity by civil society organizations, the law was amended in order to ensure adequate representation of women in the committee for the appointment of judges. Now, 7 years later, the reforms are setting us back decades. Not only do they reduce the legal possibility of the High Court of Justice to prevent harm to women, they also take women out of the circle of influence that determines who will be the judges and the judges who will head it.
