5 sharia court judges, including first woman, sworn in

Five new judges in Israel’s Muslim sharia court system were sworn on Monday at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem.

The group includes Israel’s first female qadi, or sharia judge, Hana Khatib, who drew praise from the President Reuven Rivlin. Khatib is from the town of Tamra, located in the lower Galilee. She practices family and sharia law.

Sharia courts in Israel deal with personal status issues for the Muslim community, such as marriage, divorce, conversion, inheritance and prevention of domestic violence.