Nitzan Horowitz, the first gay in Israel parlament proposes to legalize civil homosexual partnerships and divorce for homosexual couples. Horowitz presented his bill at the first session of the 18th session of Knesset.
According to this document, citizens of Israel should have the right to choose between religious and civil matrimony, as well as between religious and civil divorce.
"I stand for the free choice of all people – say Horowitz – I see no reason why in 2009 Israel must force its citizens to get married exclusively at a church ceremony. Any law that dials with civil partnerships is opposed by church and other religious organizations. This affects the interests of an enormous amount of Israel citizens."
Horowitz is the first gay in the history of Knesset. He is 44 years old, journalist.
Today in Israel only marriage that was contracted at church is recognized as legal. Couples where one of the partners (or both) is not a Jew cannot marry in Israel. In such a situation heterosexual couples go somewhere abroad and marry. Such marriage is recognized in Israel.
Horowitz protects the rights of gays and lesbians, but at the same time he fights for the rights of heterosexual people who should get the possibility to contract civil partnerships.
The new bill is very unlikely to have a success. Only one party is going to vote for civil partnership and it is still not known whether they are going to vote for civil partnerships between homosexuals
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