Israeli High Court unanimously rules in favor of same-sex adoption


Dec 28, 2023. Posted by  Balkan Periscope - Hellas

 

The court now interprets the language of the law to permit two individuals in a committed relationship, regardless of their gender, to adopt children

The Israeli High Court of Justice has unanimously ruled that same-sex couples may adopt children, marking a significant shift in the nation's adoption laws.

The ruling, based on a reinterpretation of the 1981 law on adoption, challenges the existing provision that limits adoption to "a man and his wife together."

The current law, which effectively restricted adoption to heterosexual couples, allowed for rare exceptions for same-sex couples. However, the recent High Court decision addresses this disparity and opens the door for same-sex couples to adopt children on equal terms.

To navigate this legislative impasse, Vogelman applied the judicial doctrine of "interpretation" to reevaluate the 1981 law. The court now interprets the language of the law to permit two individuals in a committed relationship, regardless of their gender, to adopt children, effectively expanding adoption eligibility to same-sex couples.

In his ruling, Supreme Court President Uzi Vogelman highlighted the "subjective purpose" behind the original legislator's intent when passing the adoption law. The court contends that the goal was to provide children with a stable and secure family unit, irrespective of the sexual orientation of the parents.

I24news

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