In a decision hailed as groundbreaking, Israel's High Court unanimously ruled on Dec. 28 that same-sex couples may adopt children under the terms of a 1981 adoption law, The Times of Israel reported.
Employing a different interpretation of the statutewhich states that only "a man and his wife together" can adopt childrenthe court ruled that the law's intent was to ensure the well-being of the adopted child.
LGBTQ+-rights groups and the Reform Movement, whose legal branch led the challenges to the law, applauded the ruling. On the other hand, utra-orthodox and right-wing religious-Zionist members of the Knesset criticized the ruling, saying it was divisive and "hurts a large portion of the Jewish people."
The court noted that it had dismissed a petition on the issue in 2017 because, at that time, the government had promised to amend existing law.Acting Supreme Court President Uzi Vogelman stated in his written opinion that such legislation was never completed and that the state (in its response to the current petition) said there was no likelihood that such a change would take place. Justices Alex Stein and Gila Canfy-Steinitz agreed with Vogelman's opinion.
Andrew Davis