What the current situation in Israel has to do with the series “The Handmaid’s Tale”.

Female protesters in red robes and white caps march silently and with their eyes on the ground during mass protests in Israel. They are reminiscent of the Handmaids from the dystopian series The Handmaid’s Tale, which is based on Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel of the same name.

The story describes a post-apocalyptic Western society in which women – according to the biblical model – are subservient to men. Women are disenfranchised, abused and denied access to education. Instead, they serve the purpose of reproduction.

Those who know the story will probably cringe at the sight of these photos:

With the striking action, the women want to point out to the world that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu has crossed a red line with the planned judicial reforms. They fear that Israel – which sees itself as a lone democracy in the Middle East – will become a state where women and minorities are disadvantaged.

The premise of the novel (and the series) cannot be compared to the current situation in Israel: nuclear disasters and environmental pollution have left the majority of the population barren. Those women who are still able to have children become maids aka baby machines. Her main task: to bear children for elite and infertile couples.

Nevertheless, some parallels can be drawn with the controversial judicial reform. “The Handmaid’s Tale” begins with the rise of an authoritarian state that throws women’s rights back to the Middle Ages. There are strict gender segregations. This is considered red flag in Israel. Actually. Because the ultra-Orthodox parties in the current coalition do not accept female members. The current government consists of fewer women than in years.

But that’s not the only problem. The demonstrators fear that Israel will introduce a majority dictatorship. With the reform, Netanyahu wants to weaken the supreme court and thereby undermine the de facto separation of powers. This gives the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, more control over the judiciary.

In this way, the government could legislate according to its tastes (and its ideologies) – without regard for fundamental rights and minorities. SRF Middle East expert Susanne Brunner gives an example: “If a majority thinks that women – as religious circles demand – should always sit in the back of the bus (…), then they can make a law for that.”

Lesbian and gay couples are also demoted in the series. People in the LGBTQ community are also afraid of such a flashback. Tel Aviv in particular is so far considered to be very open-minded on this subject. But in Orthodox circles, the LGBTQ scene is a complex issue.

Death penalty for terrorists

Anyone who opposes the government in Gilead – the authoritarian state featured in “The Handmaid’s Tale” – faces the death penalty. In Israel too, right-wing coalition partners in Netanyahu’s government want to introduce the death penalty for terrorists – but only for Palestinians. Brunner says, “If this is introduced, Israel will no longer be a constitutional state.”

Nothing is final yet. The government has come under pressure after the violent mass protests – and the statements of the defense minister. The vote on revolution-like reforms has been postponed until the end of July.