On July 24, the Israeli government charged ahead with plans for a judicial overhaul with the passage of a bill in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, striking down the courts’ ability to review the “reasonableness” of government and ministerial decisions. The bill passed in a 64-0 vote as many opposition members of the Knesset walked out in boycott.
Thousands of protesters flooded the streets, demanding the defense of democratic values in what has been both the longest-running and largest protest movement in Israel’s history. While the majority of Israelis oppose the reform, the fear is most acute among women: In a February poll by the Israel Democracy Institute, nearly 63 percent of women expressed concern over a potential retreat in gender equality as a result of the legislation. Alongside chilling photos of protesters dressed as characters from Margaret Atwood’s marching through the streets, memes about the “Talibanization” of Israel have become commonplace. This is not surprising: As gender equality is not explicitly legally entrenched, judicial reform
