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Israel's Knesset Passes Landmark Amendment
Initiated by Bar-Ilan University's Rackman Center
for the Advancement of the Status of Women

Amendment allows greater equality for women in divorce proceedings

Ramat Gan -- In a landmark decision the Israeli Knesset has voted in favor of an amendment to the Spousal Property Relations Law which will now allow for the division of property prior to divorce.

Bar-Ilan University's Ruth and Emanuel Rackman Center for the Advancement of the Status of Women took a leading role in initiating this revolutionary amendment, together with the International Coalition for Agunah Rights (ICAR).

"The Knesset has taken a major step forward in promoting women's status in Israel today," said Prof. Ruth Halperin-Kaddari, Director of the University's Rackman Center. "This is a day of celebration for women in Israel, for the advancement of gender equality and for the advancement of human rights in Israel," she added.

Fifty-eight MKs voted in favor and 21 rejected the amendment, which was submitted by Knesset Chairman Zevulun Orlev (NRP) and MK Rabbi Michael Melchior (Labor-Meimad).

Prior to the amendment just passed, a couple married after 1973 (when the Spousal Property Relations Law was enacted) was permitted to divide its assets only after being granted a get (religious divorce). This tempted husbands to refuse to grant their wives a get so that the assets, generally in the husband's name, wouldn't be divided between them. The division of assets also gave the husband a means to blackmail his wife as a condition for granting the get.

The amendment will now allow for the division of property prior to the get, in cases where divorce proceedings last more than 18 months or if it is proven that a marriage is in irretrievable breakdown, or in a case of domestic violence. This will reduce the possibility of blackmail during divorce proceedings.

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To read Prof. Halperin-Kaddari’s Op-Ed in the Jerusalem Post in response to the passing of this historic amendment click here.