The Reality of Muslim Women in Israel between Islamic Sharia and Civil Law: Acomprehensive Legal and Sociopolitical Analysis

Abstract

Muslim women in Israel live in a multi-layered legal, social, and political environment shaped by the coexistence of Islamic Sharia courts and the Israeli civil legal system. Sharia courts retain formal jurisdiction over matters of personal status for Muslims, such as marriage, divorce, custody, and inheritance, while civil courts apply constitutional principles of equality and human dignity to Muslim women, subjecting them to restrictions imposed by law. These restrictions require women to reconcile religious customs with societal expectations and minority politics in the predominantly Jewish state of Israel.

This paper aims to analyze the legal framework governing the personal status of Muslim women in Israel, the regulation of marriage and divorce and its impact on women's autonomy, and the long-term implications of inheritance and economic rights provisions for inequality. It also seeks to uncover the socio-political context, including feminist activism and reform efforts