Recognition of same-sex unions in Israel

Part of the LGBTQ rights series
Marriage

Recognized

Civil unions or registered partnerships but not marriage
Minimal recognition
See also
Notes
  1. ^ a b Performed in the Netherlands proper (including the Caribbean Netherlands), as well as in Aruba and Curaçao. May be registered in Sint Maarten in such cases, but the rights of marriage are not guaranteed.
  2. ^ Neither performed nor recognized in Niue, Tokelau, or the Cook Islands.
  3. ^ Neither performed nor recognized in six British Overseas Territories.
  4. ^ a b Neither performed nor recognized in some tribal nations. Recognized but not performed in several other tribal nations and American Samoa.
  5. ^ Registered foreign marriages confer all marriage rights. Domestic common-law marriages confer most rights of marriage. Domestic civil marriage recognized by some cities.
  6. ^ a b c d e The Coman v. Romania ruling of the European Court of Justice obliges the state to provide residency rights for the foreign spouses of EU citizens. Some member states, including Romania, do not follow the ruling.
  7. ^ A "declaration of family relationship" is available in several of Cambodia's communes which may be useful in matters such as housing, but is not legally binding.
  8. ^ Guardianship agreements, conferring some limited legal benefits, including decisions about medical and personal care.
  9. ^ Inheritance, guardianship rights, and residency rights for foreign spouses of legal residents.
  10. ^ Courts have recognised guru–shishya, nata pratha or maitri karar–type contractual relationships, but they are not legally binding.
  11. ^ Some cities and prefectures issue partnership certificates, but they are not legally binding.
  12. ^ Marriages conducted abroad between a Namibian national and a foreign spouse recognized for residency rights.
  13. ^ Hospital visitation rights through a "legal representative" status.
  1. ^ a b Not yet in effect.
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Marriage in Israel is regulated by the religious courts of recognized confessional communities, none of which perform interfaith or same-sex marriages. Domestic civil marriage is not recognized in Israel; however, civil marriages performed in foreign jurisdictions, including same-sex marriages, are recognized with full marital rights under Israeli law.[1][2]

Marriages performed in Israel are only legally recognized when registered with one of the 15 religious marital courts recognized by the state, none of which permit same-sex marriage. In November 2006, the High Court of Justice ruled that same-sex marriages performed abroad may be registered in Israel.[3] Consequently, Israeli same-sex couples who wished to have their marriages recognized by the government had to marry outside Israel, in a jurisdiction where such marriages were legal, and then register upon returning home. In July 2022, the Central District Court ruled that marriages performed via an online civil marriage service established by the U.S. state of Utah, including same-sex marriages, are legal in Israel, removing the necessity of leaving the country to get married.[4][5] The ruling was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2023.[6]

Polling suggests that a majority of Israelis support the legal recognition of same-sex unions,[7] with a June 2019 opinion poll conducted by Hiddush showing that 78% of Israelis supported recognizing same-sex unions.[8]

  1. ^ "Information for couples marrying outside the Rabbinate" (PDF). Rackman Center. 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  2. ^ Decker, Michael. "Marriage Registration at the Ministry of the Interior". lawoffice.org.il. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  3. ^ "Israeli court recognizes online civil marriages as valid". i24News. 10 July 2022.
  4. ^ Leibowitz, Aaron (16 July 2022). "Lod court's Utah marriage ruling is a landmark for civil marriage - opinion". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 1 August 2022.
  5. ^ Rozovsky, Liza (6 August 2023). "Israel Recognizes Marriage of Same-sex Immigrant Couple Who Married Online in Russia". Haaretz.
  6. ^ Sharon, Jeremy (7 March 2023). "Israel must recognize online marriages conducted via Utah, Supreme Court rules". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference pollchannel13 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference poll1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).