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Last update - 22:33 21/11/2006 In precedent-setting ruling court says state must recognize gay marriage By Yuval Yoaz, Haaretz Correspondent and Haaretz Service In a precedent-setting ruling, the High Court of Justice on Tuesday ruled that five gay couples wedded outside of Israel can be registered as married couples. A sweeping majority of six justices to one ruled that the civil marriages of five gay couples obtained in Toronto, Canada, can appear as married on the population registry. The gay petitioners sought to force the state to give equal recognition to common law marriages of heterosexual couples to those of gay marriages, which can be performed in certain countries. Advertisement The Association for Civil Rights in Israel that filed the petition on the behalf of the couples, argued before the court that the Interior Ministry's refusal to register them as married compromises their right to equality and to hold family life, and is based on "homophobe social perceptions." The court rejected the position of the State Attorney, that states recognizing single-sex marriages cannot expect Israel to recognize such nuptial agreements drawn in these countries. The state told the High Court that "Israel lacks the appropriate legal framework for such marriages," and therefore it cannot register them. After the ruling was issued, the Civil Rights Association said it is "all the more important in the wake of the [recent] public turmoil stirred by the gay pride parade in Jerusalem." Itay Pinkas, a prominent member of the gay community who married his partner in Canada said in response: "This is an historical day for the [gay] community and for democracy. This is our real pride parade. We will keep battling for full equality in other areas." The minister in charge over religious affairs, Yitzhak Cohen (Shas) said "the High Court has sunken in the gates of defilement and has torn out the last mezuzah from its doors. Marriage can only be held by the faith of Moses and Yisrael [the traditional Jewish marriage vows]. "The dam that protected the Jewish state has been burst open under the auspices of the High Court, asking for an anti-Jewish deluge clad in black capes," he said. "We don't have a Jewish state here. We have Sodom and Gomorrah here," said Moshe Gafni, an ultra-Orthodox lawmaker, referring to two cities the Bible said was destroyed because their citizens were so sinful. "I assume that every sane person in the State of Israel, possibly the entire Jewish world, is shocked, because the significance is... the destruction of the family unit in the State of Israel," Gafni told Army Radio. Yossi Ben-Ari, who petitioned the court along with his partner, Loren Shuman, brushed off Gafni's comments as a continuation of the ultra-Orthodox "frenzy" against Israel's gay and lesbian community. "This is only the beginning of the battle. The courts here are very progressive ... but the battle is for the face of society," Ben-Ari told Army Radio. "The battle for our rights doesn't end here, it is still very long. Bookmark to del.icio.us   The black sheep The U.S. freezes Assad's cousin's assets for trying to weaken Iraq and Lebanon. Pristina, Ramallah Yasser Abed Rabbo called on the West Bank to declare independence like Kosovo.   1.   mazal tov 10:08  |  gabriela 21/11/06   2.   Mazal Tov But Civil Unions Better Solution 10:38  |  Terry 21/11/06   3.   Ha Ha Ha! This Is Nuts! Look! 10:38  |  Yosemite Sam 21/11/06   4.   The Marriage Law is a Lovely Law 10:44  |  Hannah 21/11/06   5.   modern state 10:48  |  Cohen 21/11/06   6.   A light unto the nations 10:52  |  Birch 21/11/06   7.   Great News 11:02  |  Martijn 21/11/06   8.   ITS ABOUT TIME! 11:21  |  Muly 21/11/06   9.   Congratulations!!! 11:39  |  AV 21/11/06   10.   I so love Israel! 11:42  |  AV 21/11/06   11.   Gay Marriage 11:56  |  Chris 21/11/06   12.   Crazy 12:01  |  David 21/11/06   13.   in context the Shas response is hilarious 12:04  |  Michelle 21/11/06   14.   Appropriate legal framework 12:27  |  Dani Reiss 21/11/06   15.   David, gay Israelis better Jews than you are! 12:36  |  Paul Henzen 21/11/06   16.   Gay marriage 12:44  |  Martin 21/11/06   17.   Many countries have gay marriage. 12:47  |  Stephen Murray 21/11/06   18.   NEXT COMES MARRIAGE TO YOUR DOG OR CAT !! 12:53  |  paul harris 21/11/06   19.   Does Ehud Olmert appoint these Justices? 12:59  |  Johnny Weintraub 21/11/06   20.   #14 Dani Reiss is totally correct. 13:15  |  zmogus 21/11/06   21.   Homo-Soldiers 13:27  |  Charbel 21/11/06   22.   SDOM and GMORRAH 13:35  |  george 21/11/06   23.   #12, David. You gain, you lose. Also in love. 13:49  |  zmogus 21/11/06   24.   Stephen Murray is in a bind 14:02  |  Proud Zionist 21/11/06   25.   Charbel, YOU lost the war 14:13  |  Paul Henzen 21/11/06   26.   Being against gay marriage has nothing to do with "Homophobia" 14:16  |  Zuriel 21/11/06   27.   The Only Solution 14:26  |  Simon 21/11/06   28.   The Judiciary is out of bounds 14:40  |  Wendy 21/11/06   29.   Proud Zionist vs Stephen Murray 14:46  |  Dani Reiss 21/11/06   30.   Acceptance rather than sanction. 14:47  |  H.H.M 21/11/06   31.   Gay Marriage 15:15  |  Baruch Schiff 21/11/06   32.   Sinfull relations 15:32  |  Larry53 21/11/06   33.   Israel turns into Sdom and Hamora 15:44  |  Yosef 21/11/06   34.   Sons & Daughters of Muhammed welcome gay marriage to Israel 15:46  |  Mahmoud 21/11/06   35.   A Kulturkampf in Zionism 15:50  |  yaakov sullivan 21/11/06   36.   CHARBEL #21 the best warriors of all times??? 15:54  |  Iguana Pacheca 21/11/06   37.   Sensible 16:00  |  john 21/11/06   38.   Zuriel & Larry53 "individual choice" 16:01  |  Paul Henzen 21/11/06   39.   Very Very Very few countries have gay marriage 16:10  |  Jeroen de Jager 21/11/06   40.   mazel tov 16:11  |  benny 21/11/06   41.   (Gay)Sex and Talkback 16:12  |  Jacob 21/11/06   42.   Very Very Very few countries have gay marriage 16:13  |  Jeroen de Jager 21/11/06   43.   Sinfull Relations 16:35  |  Larry53 21/11/06   44.   2 monkeys got married in Toronto -in Israel 16:36  |  Sal 21/11/06   45.   #18 Negative thinking 16:52  |  L A 21/11/06   46.   #38 16:53  |  Larry53 21/11/06   47.   Vaseline & KY Jelly prices predicted to soar in Israel 16:56  |  Jeris 21/11/06   48.   Larry53, meant to be meanspirited of course #43 17:02  |  Yaakov Sullivan 21/11/06   49.   Canada is now Determining the Law in Israel 17:09  |  Jason 21/11/06   50.   Wanted 17:09  |  Choni 21/11/06   51.   Why not just throw out the Torah altogether? 17:11  |  21/11/06   52.   Primasexual marriage coming to Israel. 17:13  |  Pierre 21/11/06   53.   #22, george. Dispelling myths of Zionist sexual reservation 17:19  |  zmogus 21/11/06   54.   Sal, not so long ago... 17:21  |  Paul Henzen 21/11/06   55.   This is GAY! 17:27  |  Ben 21/11/06   56.   Pride of Israeli Justice 17:33  |  DovBer 21/11/06   57.   Does Rabbi Amar really think... 17:37  |  Avi Yerushalmi 21/11/06   58.   I understand....now 17:39  |  Rav Harley 21/11/06   59.   The High Court? 17:47  |  Never been THAT high 21/11/06   60.   State recognizes God not gays 17:59  |  sam 21/11/06   61.   MAZAL TOB! 18:05  |  Gershon Caudill 21/11/06   62.   Well Done: Israel is a Civilised Country 18:16  |  semsem 21/11/06   63.   zmogus #53 18:17  |  george 21/11/06   64.   #58, Rav Harley. By God, you remind me one Vonnegut`s personage 18:25  |  zmogus 21/11/06   65.   Decisions made in High Court 18:27  |  ToldYaSo 21/11/06   66.   Gay marriage 18:28  |  Henry Weil 21/11/06   67.   #60 sam. Thank you 18:37  |  G-d 21/11/06   68.   Mi LaShem Eilai! - Chanukah is coming! 18:41  |  Matityahu Chashmonai 21/11/06   69.   Only celebate marriage should be recognized. 18:43  |  Christine Rogers 21/11/06   70.   G-D`s Wonders 18:50  |  Alicia 21/11/06   71.   zmogus 19:07  |  Rav Harley 21/11/06   72.   #70 Alicia 19:13  |  ToldYaSo 21/11/06   73.   #63, george. 19:15  |  zmogus 21/11/06   74.   #70 Oslo 19:24  |  Never been THAT high 21/11/06   75.   Alicia, what about women? 19:41  |  Paul Henzen 21/11/06   76.   zmogus 19:43  |  Rav Harley 21/11/06   77.   Zuriel 19:43  |  Ruth 21/11/06   78.   Im dreaming ! wake me up! 19:49  |  DAVID A 21/11/06   79.   only justice 20:06  |  abner 21/11/06   80.   The Death Certificate.... 20:06  |  Blogowitz 21/11/06   81.   #71, Rav Harley. 20:12  |  zmogus 21/11/06   82.   NO MORE CLOSETS 20:15  |  JUSTIN-THE GAY JEW 21/11/06   83.   #76, Rav Harley, I am not kidding 20:25  |  zmogus 21/11/06   84.   stephen murray 20:32  |  alan 21/11/06   85.   zmogus 20:43  |  Rav Harley 21/11/06   86.   good move 21:11  |  jon 21/11/06   87.   DOOMSDAY IS NEAR... 21:30  |  MIKE KATZ 21/11/06   88.   #78: David A 21:43  |  Naomi 21/11/06   89.   Gay marriage 22:15  |  Geo 21/11/06   90.   hate mongers 22:18  |  Geo 21/11/06   91.   G-D`S JUDGEMENT FIRST BY WATER NEXT BY FIRE ?? 23:25  |  Bill. 21/11/06   92.   Response to #3 23:31  |  dw 21/11/06   93.   Better a child adopted into a gay family than a fanatic hate cult 23:32  |  AV 21/11/06   94.   re # 91 A TRIBALE G-D ?? 00:00  |  MIKE KATZ 22/11/06   95.   All humans are Sinners 00:19  |  Larry53 22/11/06   96.   mike katz 94 00:31  |  mohammad 22/11/06   97.   Hmmm....Funny. 00:36  |  stifffler 22/11/06   98.   Torah use-by date 01:09  |  Juicy fruits 22/11/06   99.   stifffler 96 01:27  |  sofonda cox 22/11/06   100.   LET THE CELBRATION BEGIN!! 01:38  |  AS 22/11/06   101.   On the topic of Gay Marriage 01:58  |  Mike 22/11/06   102.   straight but not narrow 02:12  |  alex 22/11/06   103.   Paul Henzen# 15 03:17  |  Philippe 22/11/06   104.   Sodom and Gomorrah 04:36  |  Naz 22/11/06   105.   Gay Marriage in Israel 06:06  |  Miles Senn 22/11/06   106.   You are brilliant. 06:16  |  Christopher 22/11/06   107.   congratulations israel 06:24  |  Jacob 22/11/06   108.   Congratulations to the happy couple 07:08  |  SJ 22/11/06   109.   Mazel Tov, Israel! 07:12  |  Eric 22/11/06   110.   The Fear of the LORD is the beginning 07:37  |  Michael 22/11/06   111.   Hannah, Thank you for the laugh. 07:56  |  Timothy 22/11/06   112.   Gay marriage. 08:42  |  AdamSF 22/11/06   113.   #85 Rav Harley. Instead of recycling Bible... 09:36  |  zmogus 22/11/06   114.   Yes, the sky IS falling!!! 10:26  |  Marty 22/11/06   115.   Congratulations on the ruling 12:38  |  Sean R 22/11/06   116.   Israel Gay Marriage upheld 13:48  |  Goodman 22/11/06   117.   TO Paul #75 16:49  |  Alicia 22/11/06   118.   Judment Day 19:24  |  David 22/11/06   119.   homosexual perversion, inc. 22:46  |  HeatherRoss 22/11/06   120.   homosexual perversion, inc. 22:50  |  HeatherRoss 22/11/06   121.   Homosexual perversion, INC 23:03  |  Heather Ross 22/11/06   122.   #`110 Homosexual perversion, INC 23:08  |  Heather Ross 22/11/06   123.   gay liasions 01:00  |  Michael 23/11/06   124.   The science of Lysenko 09:53  |  DJStahl 23/11/06   125.   Gay marriage 22:06  |  pcm 25/11/06   126.   lesson from Canada 04:38  |  Ron 10/12/07   127.   God is watching. How long will Israel remain as it is today? 19:38  |  No fear and 10/02/08   128.   Stupid #43 15:51  |  Terry 22/02/08   129.   Church and State is the problem 16:00  |  Terry 22/02/08

Today Online Bradley Burston: This November, I'm voting christian Responses: 19 Monopoly voting site drops country names after row over J'lem ownership Responses: 30 Ari Shavit: Time for Israel to show generosity toward Syria Responses: 15 Daniel Levy: Obama's change could be good for Israel Responses: 22 Iron Dome system found to be helpless against Qassams Responses: 100 RACE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE: McCain, Israel and Jewish voters - a love triangle? Responses: 10 Rosner's Domain What America wants from an operation in Gaza Obama has a mainstream Democratic team (WTR) Guests: girls receiving a Jewish education is a given U.S. victims of Palestinian terror await gov't stance on compensation Poll: Is it important to have an Israeli-Palestinian agreement by the end of 2008? More Headlines 16:00 Hamas: We won't rule out any bid for cease-fire 08:47 Iron Dome system found to be helpless against Qassams 15:53 Worried Rice to discuss Gaza crisis with Olmert in Japan 12:08 Flights to Israel to buckle up half-hour before landing due to Hezbollah hijacking threats 14:28 Turkey army launches land offensive into Northern Iraq 14:59 McCain, a supporter of Israel with a 'Judeophile' brother 13:20 Fugitive Al-Aqsa militants return voluntarily to Palestinian prison 14:52 Thousands show solidarity with Qassam-stricken Sderot 14:58 Actor Will Smith receives damages over alleged praise for Hitler 13:23 Palestinian officials: Israeli missile kills two Gaza militants Previous Editions Select Day 21 feb 20 feb 19 feb 18 feb 17 feb 15 feb 14 feb 13 feb 12 feb 11 feb 10 feb 08 feb

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