Overview
- The Arad municipality warned it will shut the city’s only mall if managers remove images of women, according to an official notice and public statements on February 17.
- The mall’s new owners are members of the Ger Hasidic community, and Haaretz reported they instructed that “all female symbols” be taken down.
- VINnews reported that some ads depicting women were already removed and that other changes were introduced under the new management, including taking down an Israeli flag and altering background music.
- Arad’s mayor said actions seen as excluding women must be reversed or the city will move to close the mall, and the municipal legal adviser called the directive unlawful and harmful to human dignity and gender equality.
- No closure or court action has occurred to date, as residents voice objections and the dispute over the mall’s direction remains unresolved.