Israel considers gay marriage

By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk • April 20, 2006 - 0:00

The couple's lawyer, Onn Stock, is expected to only ask for gay marriages from outside Israel to be granted

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Israel will consider gay marriage, according to its Supreme Court.

Oral arguments from a group of gay people who married in Canada will be heard at the end of May according to reports from a gay news website.

The couples married in Canada, where same sex marriage is legal, and then returned to their homes in Israel, where they hope to have their ceremonies recognised.

Their lawyer, Onn Stock, is expected to only ask for gay marriages from outside Israel to be granted, he said: "Israeli straight couples who marry overseas have their marriages recognised by the Israeli ministry of the interior regardless of whether they are able or not to marry each other in Israel."

But not everyone in the country, where marriage laws are guided by Jewish orthodox traditions, would support the law, Glen Lavy, of Christian legal group Alliance Defence Fund, told the Florida Baptist Press, "The law is totally neutral on sexual orientation when it comes to marriage laws, a man cannot marry a man, regardless of his sexual orientation.

"No one asks, 'What is your sexual orientation?' If changing the sexual orientation cannot change the outcome, then it's not sexual orientation discrimination."

Carrie Gordon Earll, senior policy analyst for Focus on the Family Action suggested the case shows "gay marriage" laws are "international issues" and can put pressure on others.

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