Five of 25 Supreme Court justice candidates are women

With only 4 women among current 16 judges, opposition lawmaker calls on justice minister, appointments committee to choose a woman for one of two vacant posts

By Sue Surkes

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8 January 2018, 4:12 pm Edit

Sue Surkes is The Times of Israel's environment reporter

President Reuven Rivlin and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked stand alongside incoming Supreme Court Chief Justice Esther Hayut during her swearing in ceremony at the President's Residence in Jerusalem on October 26, 2017. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)

Only five out of the justice minister’s 25 candidates to replace two outgoing Supreme Court judges are women, according to a list published Monday.

In February, the judicial appointments committee is due to choose replacements from the list for outgoing justices Uri Shoham and Yoram Danziger.

Israel Radio reported Monday that the winning candidates were likely to be an academic and a serving judge.

“Women make up 50 percent of the population, but according to members of the committee, they deserve to represent just 20% of the list of candidates,” Zionist Union lawmaker Revital Swid said. While the people on the list were impressive, the dearth of women was glaring, she added.

MK Revital Swid (Zionist Union) arrives at a meeting of the rabbinical judges appointments committee in Jerusalem, May 2, 2016. (Shlomi Cohen/Flash90)

“Today, when women hold key positions in the Israeli legal world, it is time to correct a historic injustice and match the number of women in the Supreme Court to the number of men.”