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Last update - 19:38 27/04/2008 Experts recommend nullifying law granting mothers automatic custody By Ruth Sinai, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Israel, divorce, law, custody A report submitted Sunday by a committee of experts to Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann recommends that young children of divorced parents not be automatically transferred into the custody of their mother. According to the current law, children under the age of six are transferred into the custody of the mother, barring exceptional circumstances. According to the report, the current law "is not in accordance with empirical studies in the field of psychology, according to which children require a relationship with both their parents for the sake of their normal psychological development." The committee was formed by former justice minister Tzipi Livni following pressure from groups, comprised mainly of groups of divorced men, that claim the current law, which has existed for 45 years, violates the rights of fathers and does not reflect updated psychological studies which show that young children need a relationship with both parents. Advertisement The committee is comprised of Justice Ministry members, Welfare Ministry members, members of the academia, religious experts, and representatives from various women's organizations and parents' organizations. Under the current law, the relationship between a father and his children is interpreted as a privilege granted by the mother. The committee recommends that in cases in which parents cannot reach an agreement over custody, the court should choose the custodian on the basis of legal guidelines. Women's groups oppose the proposed legal amendment on the basis that the situation in Israel differs from that in other countries in which similar amendments were made, in that Israeli rabbinical law makes women more susceptible to extortion in case of divorce. Women's groups also fear that such an amendment would reduce the amount of alimony that men have to pay. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Survivors and pioneers Yad Vashem exhibit shows how Holocaust survivors helped shape Israel's identity Researching bacon Lahav's pig breeding gained widespread notoriety because of its legal loophole.   1.   Israel`s civil rights violations 20:24  |  shosh 27/04/08   2.   It`s high time 20:45  |  Yonatan 27/04/08   3.   Divorced mothers and child abuse 03:20  |  MARK KLEIN, M.D. 28/04/08   4.   It does happen in other countries 03:35  |  leven5 28/04/08   5.   Mistake! 04:03  |  Joe 28/04/08   6.   What next? 04:05  |  Ben Azai 28/04/08   7.   Leave well enough alone 04:09  |  Joseph 28/04/08   8.   Experts? 04:11  |  Avi 28/04/08   9.   It is true nullyfying automatic custody will be profitable. 08:54  |  The Archives 28/04/08   10.   It`s all about the money 18:41  |  CFLAP 28/04/08   11.   Israel help to destroy a family 18:46  |  Itzjak 28/04/08

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