Last update - 00:00 06/05/2007
Gay state employee seeks medical benefits for partner of 3 years
By Ruth Sinai, Haaretz Correspondent
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) on Sunday petitioned the High Court, claiming the state's decision not to provide provide health insurance for the partner of a gay Israeli security officer is discriminatory.
Raz Herbst, a security officer at Thailand's Bangkok airport who has been living with a male Thai national for the past three years, learned his companion was entitled to health insurance by his employer, the State of Israel.
However, his request was rejected because the Interior Ministry does not recognize the man's partner as a legal companion.
In a peitition handled by ACRI lawyer Dan Yakir, Herbst claimed the decision was discriminatory because it essentially prevented homosexual couples, who can not marry or register as married in Israel, from claiming state-funded benefits as spouses.
ACRI engaged in long correspondence with a Finance Ministry official who repeatedly turned down Herbst's demand.
At one point, the official claimed only partners who were Israeli citizens and had to relocate from Israel had received health insurance. However, ACRI discovered that a number of exceptions had been made.
Herbst is asking for NIS 60,000 in compensation for infringement of rights.