ISRAEL: Knesset Rejects Civil Unions

Via the Jerusalem Post:

The Knesset voted down two bills regarding civil unions and marriage on Wednesday with a majority vote of 50 to 39 for each bill. The first bill, proposed by Yesh Atid MK Aliza Lavie sought to create civil unions, an alternative for those who could not have their weddings officiated by the rabbinate or other religious authorities, such as gay couples, couples of different religions, a cohen and a divorcee, etc. “We have to allow a civil alternative for all of the couples who do not want to go through the rabbinate,” Lavie said upon her submission of the bill this past June. “I believe that the path of civil unions will do civil justice and will lead more people to want to get married through the religious system, because it will have to make itself more efficient and be managed properly.” The second bill, composed by Meretz leader Zehava Gal-On focused on the concept of civil marriages and divorces.

RELATED: Civil marriages are not available to any Israeli citizen. LGBT Israelis who marry abroad can register those weddings with the government "for statistical purposes." In 1994 Israel extended "unregistered cohabitation status" to same-sex couples in a form of common-law marriage that grants nearly all the benefits of religious marriages. Last year the Interior Minister announced that gay Israelis who marry non-Jews abroad may sponsor their spouses for citizenship.

ISRAEL: Ban On Anti-LGBT Discrimination Fails In Knesset Committee

Via the Jerusalem Post:

The Ministerial Committee for Legislation on Monday voted down a bill that would make it illegal to discriminate against LGBT people in any way. The legislation, proposed by MK Ofer Shelah (Yesh Atid), would make any law prohibiting discrimination based on gender, age, country of origin, etc. apply to LGBT people as well. “Only Gila Gamliel had the courage to support the amendment,” Shelah pointed out. “Such a simple matter, that all laws prohibiting discrimination should apply to discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, did not get the approval of the current government,” Shelah said. “On Pride Week, some of the Likud tried to paint rainbows on their faces. Don’t be fooled: Behind that, you’ll find their true faces.” In the last Knesset, when Yesh Atid was still in the coalition, the committee approved the bill with support of Likud ministers, but it did not become law before an election was called.

More from Pink News:

The country’s Equal Employment Law already outlaws discrimination in work based on sexual orientation – but anti-discrimination legislation is still patchwork, with gender identity not included. Same-sex marriages are recognised in Israel, but must be conducted overseas as only Jewish, Christian, Muslim or Druze religious authorities can perform marriages, and none offer gay couples the chance to marry. Like mixed faith straight couples, gay couples must marry in another country such as France or Canada, but once they do, they are recognised as a married couple in the Jewish state. The Israeli Parliament has repeatedly voted against introducing civil marriage for gay and straight couples.

ISRAEL: Openly Gay Knesset Member Announces Bid For Tel Aviv Mayor

Openly gay Knesset member Nitzan Horowitz has announced his intent to run for mayor of Tel Aviv.

Horowitz, a second-term MK and former journalist for Channel 10 News, will be challenging former Labor member Ron Huldai, who has served as Tel Aviv’s mayor since 1998. If he wins, Horowitz (49) would be Tel Aviv’s first openly gay mayor, and the first in any Israeli city. In a press conference at the old city hall building on Monday, Horowitz mentioned rising real-estate prices – which sparked the social protest movement in 2011 – along with the city’s infamous transportation problems among his reasons for running. He also promised to introduce a new plan for the city’s southern neighbourhoods, which have almost doubled their population due to the waves of asylum seekers who were sent there by the government.

Horowitz is the second-ever and only currently serving openly gay member of the 120-seat Knesset. Tel Aviv's election is October 22nd.  Below (in Hebrew) is Horowitz' announcement.