A transgender Israeli woman is fighting for her right to wear a hijab in the Israeli parliament.
In the past, women who are transgender were prohibited from wearing the hijab and had to use a male pronoun.
But on Thursday, a committee decided that this restriction is no longer necessary, as they voted to allow transgender people to wear the hijab.
“I believe in the right of people to choose who they want to live with and love,” Hala Nissim said.
“I believe that this is a human right, and we’re not allowed to deny that.”
Hala Nisim, an Israeli-born Palestinian, began living as a woman at the age of 17, when she was forced to leave her husband.
Since then, she has undergone surgery and hormone therapy, but she remains barred from attending public events.
Her husband is now living in the US and she works as a security guard.
Despite the lack of legal protections for transgender people in Israel, Nisisim says the ruling is an important step in changing the law.
“The decision to allow women to wear hijab in Israel is a historic step, and I hope other countries will follow suit,” she said.
“Israel has a proud history of women who have fought to become women.
Now, we must work to build a world where all women have the same right to freedom of choice.”
The Israeli parliament has passed a number of bills allowing transgender people access to public spaces, including the freedom to use women-only bathrooms.
In April, a similar bill was passed in the United Kingdom, which has a transgender equality law.
Israel’s Minister of Culture, Arts and Culture has stated that “the law will be the starting point to change the discriminatory policies of Israeli society”.
