Israel: New ID cards for children of same-sex parents

Israel is to issue new identity cards for the children of same-sex parents, where the words "father's name" or "mother's name" will appear twice, it's been reported.

The move will benefit thousands of Israeli families, where one parent has traditionally been listed as the mother and the other as father irrespective of their gender, the Haaretz newspaper says. Three families asked the Population, Immigration and Border Authority to change the designation on ID cards to more accurately reflect their family unit. Among them was Noa Evron, the 20-year-old daughter of lesbian couple Aviva and Yehudit. Aviva Evron, listed as "father" on Noa's ID card, tells Haaretz that when Noa responded to her first army call-up notice, she was asked if her mother was once her father. "We don't want such an unpleasant situation that will make her have to explain things," she says. "This is simply a correction of a distortion in a series of distortions relating to same-sex parenthood."

Same-sex parents have been allowed to adopt their partner's child since 2006, but a High Court ruling at the time fell short of issuing ID cards which take into account the gender of the adoptive parent, the Ynet News website reports. LGBT community leader Chen Arieli says the ID card decision is a major victory for equality. "Israel is home to thousands of gay families which aren't registered with the state, and issuing ID cards is another important step in our struggle for equal recognition," she says.

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