A bill allowing gender-segregated courses at religious-run institutions of higher education has passed a preliminary vote in the Knesset. The bill aims to integrate ultra-Orthodox Israelis into academia and is seen as a blow to those opposing their integration into the labor market. However, critics argue that the bill bypasses a High Court ruling that deemed such segregation as discrimination. The High Court upheld the policy of offering gender-segregated college courses but prohibited the practice of barring female lecturers from teaching male-only courses and called for the immediate enforcement of a prohibition on segregation in public spaces on campuses.