What are politicians saying about High Court approval for LGBTQ surrogacy?
"To be a parent is a basic right and there is no reason to prevent me from exercising that right with a surrogate in Israel," MK Eitan Ginzburg said.
By GIL HOFFMANPride flag raised over the Israeli Foreign Ministry, June 21, 2021. (photo credit: FOREIGN MINISTRY)
The High Court of Justice ruled on Sunday that it would repair the unconstitutional Surrogacy Law which, until now, had excluded single fathers and LGBTQ couples. This means that within the next six months, same-sex couples and single fathers will be able to begin the surrogacy process in Israel.The ruling comes after the government asked the High Court of Justice to adjust the surrogacy law itself last Tuesday, after failing again to fix it by a set deadline. The court deemed the law unconstitutional nearly a year and a half ago because it excluded single men and same-sex couples.Itai Yoav Pinkas-Arad, the original plaintiffs in the case, declared victory and expressed hope that thousands of children will be born to loving families due to the ruling.Meretz leader Nitzan Horowitz, who is gay, took credit for telling the Supreme Court that the Health Ministry he heads is ready to implement a positive decision."We will prepare immediately to receive requests from men for surrogacy," Horowitz said. "We will act responsibly to ensure equality," he said.Defense Minister Benny Gantz vowed to pass a bill guaranteeing all citizens the right to have children through surrogacy that was proposed by Blue and White faction chairman Eitan Ginzburg.Ginzburg, who adopted children from a surrogate in the United States with his husband, lamented that the Court had to intervene and take a step that should have been done by the Knesset."To be a parent is a basic right and there is no reason to prevent me from exercising that right with a surrogate in Israel," Ginzburg said. "There is no doubt that this is a significant breakthrough on the way to full equality, but we will not concede on guaranteeing this right via legislation."Religious Zionist Party leader Bezalel Smotrich accused the Supreme Court and the new government of acting systematically to harm Judaism in Israel. He said the court only intervened because Horowitz told the judges there was no majority to pass surrogacy for men in the Knesset."We survived all those who tried to harm Judaism for thousands of years, and we will survive Lapid, Liberman and Bennett," Smotrich said. "I have no doubt that the women's organizations will fight the court's decision to allow women's bodies to be sold for surrogacy."
