Speaking of religious law

The BBC reported on Tuesday that Israel is running what orthodox Jews there call "modesty buses" on 30 public bus routes across the country. These are buses where men and women are segregated, with the men sitting in the front of the bus (of course) and the women in the back. Katya Adler, a correspondent for the Beeb in Jerusalem, described her own experience:

The other day I was waiting for a bus in downtown Jerusalem. I was in the bustling orthodox Jewish neighbourhood of Mea Sharim and the bus stop was extremely crowded.

When the Number 40 bus arrived, the most curious thing happened. Husbands left heavily pregnant wives or spouses struggling with prams and pushchairs to fend for themselves as they and all other male passengers got on at the front of the bus.

Women moved towards the rear door to get on at the back.

When on the bus, I tried to buck the system, moving my way towards the driver but was pushed back towards the other women.

Authorities say the arrangement is voluntary, but to what should be no one's surprise, it's voluntary in name only. Adler tells the story of Naomi Regen, an orthodox Jew who is one of a group of women suing over the buses. After getting on an empty bus and taking a seat behind the driver, she was accosted by later passengers, "ultra-orthodox men," one of who demanded she move to the back on the bus. (God, that has such unpleasant associations.)

"And he tried to gain support from the rest of the passengers and I underwent a half-hour of pure hell - abuse, humiliation, threats, even physical intimidation."

Believe it or not - actually, I know you will - not only is the image familiar, the arguments are.

Shlomo Rosenstein disagrees. He is a city councillor in Jerusalem where a large proportion of Israel's segregation lines operate.

"This really is about positive discrimination, in women's favour. Our religion says there should be no public contact between men and women, this modesty barrier must not be broken."

You see? This is in favor of the women. It benefits them. It protects their modesty. It's for their own good, the dear little things. We discriminate against you, threaten you, call you names, because we care about you!

Naomi Regen says the buses are just part of a wider menacing pattern of behaviour towards women in parts of the orthodox Jewish community.

"They've already cancelled higher education in the ultra-orthodox world for women. They have packed the religious courts with ultra-orthodox judges.

"In some places there are separate sides of the street women have to walk on."

She says that there are signs all over some religious neighbourhoods demanding that women dress modestly.

"They throw paint and bleach at women who aren't dressed modestly and if we don't draw a line in the sand here with this seat on a bus, then I don't know what this country and this religion is going to look like in 20 years," Ms Regen said.

But we do know, Ms. Regen. We've already seen it. Just ask the women of Afghanistan who lived under the Taliban.