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LGBT Rights in Israel

    Homosexuality
    ✔ Legal
    Gay Marriage
    ✖ Foreign same-sex marriages recognized only
    Censorship
    ✔ No censorship
    Changing Gender
    ✔ Legal, no restrictions
    Non-binary gender recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    ✔ Illegal
    Employment Discrimination
    ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
    Housing Discrimination
    ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
    Adoption
    ✔ Legal
    Military
    ✔ Legal
    Donating Blood
    ✔ Legal
    Conversion Therapy
    ✔ Banned
    Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal

Recent studies in Israel have revealed a prevalence of resistance towards LGBTQ+ rights.

Israel Surveys

Support for Same-Sex Marriage or Civil Unions

(Hiddush, 2017)
Support gay marriage or civil unions

History

Homosexual activity in Israel

?

Homosexual activity in Israel is legal.

Current status
Since 1963
Legal
LGBT people regardless of gender are allowed to engage in such acts once old enough according to the law.

In 1953 the police was ordered to refrain from enforcing the law against homosexual acts by the Israeli government.

In 1963 Israel's Highest Court decides that individuals who committed consensual homosexual acts privately couldn't be punished and even before that there are no records of punishments by civilian courts against people who committed consensual homosexual acts privately.

The law was officially repealed by the Knesset ( the Israeli Parliament ) in 1988, but it's enforcement was illegal since 1963 in most cases.
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex marriage in Israel

?

Same-sex marriage in Israel is foreign same-sex marriages recognized only.

Current status
Since Jul 7, 2022
Foreign same-sex marriages recognized only
In July 2022, the Central District Court declared marriages conducted in Israel through an online civil marriage service established by the U.S. state of Utah, including same-sex unions, as legally valid in Israel. This decision eliminated the necessity for same-sex couples to travel abroad for marriage. The Supreme Court upheld this ruling in 2023, this ruling allowed same sex couples to marry in Israel.
Added by Marinho  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Nov 21, 2006–Jul 6, 2022
Foreign same-sex marriages recognized only
Due to a Supreme Court Ruling, since 1962 Israel must recognize couples that married abroad as legally married even if the marriage didn't fit the legal definition of marriage stablished by Israeli law. In 2006 by a 6-1 decision the Supreme Court decided this applied to same sex couples too.
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

1994–Nov 20, 2006
Unregistered cohabitation
Israel does not legally recognize same-sex marriage. In Israel, marriage is mostly regulated by religious institutions. However, in 1994 Israel expanded the Legal status of Unregistered Cohabitation to same sex couples, today it works virtually the same way as marriage with a few exceptions. Israel was the first country in Asia to grant such recognition and this legal status is still available to same sex couples.
Added by Ausyk  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Censorship of LGBT Issues in Israel

?

Censorship of LGBT Issues in Israel is no censorship.

Current status
No censorship
In Israel, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Added by equaldex  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Right to change legal gender in Israel

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Right to change legal gender in Israel is legal, no restrictions.

Current status
Since Jan 21, 2015
Legal, no restrictions
Israelis can now change their legal gender without sex-reassignment surgery as ordered by the Supreme Court
Added by vviet93  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

1986–Jan 21, 2015
Legal, but requires surgery
Israelis can change their legal gender only after a sex-reassignment surgery.
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Israel

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Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Israel is not legally recognized.

Current status
Not legally recognized
The option of identifying as “nonbinary/intersex/gender nonconforming” is not available.
Added by Markissik  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT discrimination in Israel

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LGBT discrimination in Israel is illegal.

Current status
Since 1992
Illegal
Maintains religious exemptions.
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT employment discrimination in Israel

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LGBT employment discrimination in Israel is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status
Since Jun 11, 2015
Sexual orientation and gender identity
In 2015, the National Labor Court declared that employees can't be discriminated against based on their gender identity.
Added by Ausyk  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

1992–Jun 10, 2015
Sexual orientation only
In 1992, employment
discrimination on the grounds of sexual
orientation was outlawed.
Sources:
journals.sagepub.com/doi/ab…

web.archive.org/web/2016091…//www.keshetuk.org/uploads/1/3/8/6/13861493/keshet_uk_factsheet_israel_mar13_v3.pdf

Added by murrayhawthorne  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT housing discrimination in Israel

?

LGBT housing discrimination in Israel is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 1992
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Under the Human Rights Law.
Added by Ausyk  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex adoption in Israel

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Same-sex adoption in Israel is legal.

Current status
Since Dec 28, 2023
Legal
Adoption is legal for same sex couples.
Added by Unknownmiles  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Until Dec 28, 2023
Illegal
The High Court ruled that same sex couples can adopt in 2008, but in practice priority is given to opposite sex couples.

In 2017, the Court ruled that gay people could not adopt children.

Serving openly in military in Israel

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Serving openly in military in Israel is legal.

Current status
Since 1992
Legal
Homosexuals can serve openly in all branches of the military.
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in Israel

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Blood donations by MSMs in Israel is legal.

Current status
Since Oct 2021
Legal
From October 2021, gay and bisexual men can donate blood, regardless of when they last had sex. Israel no longer quarantines MSM blood and treats all donors equally, requiring no extra screening beyond the standard process.
Added by l_hrz  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Apr 2018–Oct 2021
Legal with restrictions
A more complex testing process is in place for MSM donations but you cannot skip this test.
Added by beeurd  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Jun 1, 2017–Apr 2018
Banned (1-year deferral)
1 year deferral
Added by beeurd  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

1980–May 31, 2017
Banned (indefinite deferral)
.
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Conversion therapy in Israel

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Conversion therapy in Israel is banned.

Current status
Since Feb 14, 2022
Banned
The Health Ministry banned medical professionals from conducting conversion therapy.
Added by bubblyara  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Equal age of consent in Israel

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Equal age of consent in Israel is equal.

Current status
Since May 14, 1948
Equal
The age of consent in Israel is 16 for male-male, female-female, and male-female sex.
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log


LGBT Rights by District

View the LGBT laws in each individual district of Israel.