Following the furor over the separate seating event in Afula, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit held a hearing on gender segregation at cultural events in local councils.
The discussion was convened to formulate an intermediate position until a more comprehensive discussion on the issue of gender segregation can be held.
Mandelblit noted that if a local council is interested in holding an event with gender segregation for a public that wants it, it must consider whether, given the characteristics of the population living in that council and the type of event in question, voluntary segregation can be conducted.
"As far as possible, it is understandable that this option should be preferred over planned separation," Mandelblit said.
"The criteria listed in the summary of the hearing are guidelines to assist the local authorities considering conducting events intended for a public who is interested in gender segregation. All this, as stated, is an intermediate position which will be valid until the holding of a fundamental and comprehensive legal hearing on this issue," Mandelblit added.
"Given the complexity and sensitivity of the issues that arise in this context, a decision to hold an event with separate seating should be made by a senior municipal official, after the municipality's legal advisor has expressed his opinion on the considerations set forth above."