Israel's High Court ruled the government failed its duty to ensure adequate representation of women among ministry directors-general; five months later no woman had been permanently appointed
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What happened
On 24 February 2025 Israel's High Court of Justice, ruling on a 2023 petition by the Israel Women's Network, Forum Dvorah and Na'amat, held that the state had failed its legal duty to ensure adequate representation of women in senior civil-service posts. The court did not cancel existing appointments but ordered the government to adopt rules ensuring adequate representation of women in director-general positions within six months, and awarded the petitioners NIS 10,000 in costs. After the ruling the government appointed another 17 men and one woman as ministry directors-general; the Israel Democracy Institute reported that five months after the ruling no woman had been permanently appointed director-general of any ministry, while seven men had been.
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What happened next (1)
On 25 December 2025 the Israeli government amended its nomination guidelines for senior civil-service appointments such as ministry director-generals to require active outreach to women and at least two women interviewed when a man is proposed, following the High Court's 24 February 2025 ruling (HCJ 1363/23). Source ↗