Gay advocates fight Israeli court pick
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JERUSALEM — High-profile gay rights activists are among those who oppose the impending appointment of Professor Ruth Gavison to the country’s Supreme Court, Haaretz reported. “To the gay community, Gavison’s declared opinions represent a clear and present danger to the areas in which, with much work, partial equality has been obtained for men and women in the community,” gay rights advocates said in a letter to Justice Minister Tzipi Livni.
Those who signed the letter include Itai Pinkas, Tel Aviv City councilmember and chair of the municipal human rights council; Jerusalem City Councilmember Sa’ar Natanel; and former MK Professor Uzi Even. Gay rights advocates object to Gavison’s opinion that the nation should end recognition of common-law spouses in favor of civil marriages, but only for heterosexual couples. They also are concerned about a ruling in a mock trial that Gavison made against a lesbian couple who wanted to adopt the child of one of the women, Haaretz reported. “Despite her education and academic status, the candidacy of Professor Gavison arouses enormous suspicion among us,” the letter reads.