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A30 world news
Diamars 13 Juli 2021

Israeli court annuls parts Merkel doubts Biden meeting will solve

of surrogacy law excluding gas pipeline dispute

gays

(AP) — Israel’s Supreme Court on Sunday cleared the
way for same-sex couples to have children through sur-
rogate mothers, a move hailed by lawmakers and activ-
ists as a victory for LGBTQ rights.
(AP) — German Chancellor Angela also suggested that the gas issue should be-
The court ruled in 2020 that a surrogacy law, which had ex- Merkel said Monday that she doubts come part of four-way talks between his
panded access to single women but excluded gay couples, the dispute between her country and country, Russia, Germany and France on
“disproportionately harmed the right to equality and the right the United States over a nearly com- solving the conflict in eastern Ukraine and
to parenthood” and was unlawful. pleted gas pipeline from Russia will be that the United States could join those ne-
fully resolved at a meeting with Presi- gotiations.
It gave the government a year to draw up a new law, but par- dent Joe Biden this week.
liament failed to meet the deadline. Merkel said she took Ukraine’s concerns
Washington has long argued that the Nord seriously and that Germany and the Euro-
The court said Sunday that “since for more than a year the Stream 2 pipeline carrying natural gas from pean Union would use their weight in ne-
state has done nothing to advance an appropriate amendment Russia to Germany endangers Europe’s gotiations with Russia to ensure the agree-
to the law, the court ruled that it cannot abide the continued energy security and harms allies such as ments are extended.
serious damage to human rights caused by the existing sur- Ukraine, which currently profits from
rogacy arrangement.” transit fees for Russian gas. The United “We have promised this to Ukraine and we
States recently waived sanctions against will stick to that. I keep my promises and I
The change in the law is to take effect in six months to allow German companies involved in the project, believe that is true also for any future Ger-
the formation of professional guidelines, it said. raising hopes in Berlin that an agreement man chancellor,” she said.
acceptable to all sides can be found.
The Aguda, an Israeli LGBTQ activist group, applauded the Merkel isn’t running for a fifth term in
decision as a “historic landmark in our struggle for equality.” Merkel said she will discuss the issue with Germany’s national election on Sept. 26.
Biden at a White House meeting Thursday,
Ultra-Orthodox lawmaker Aryeh Deri, formerly the coun- but added: “I don’t know whether the pa- She also announced that Germany will give
try’s interior minister, wrote on Twitter that the court’s deci- pers will be fully finalized, so to speak. I Ukraine 1.5 million doses of coronavirus
sion was another serious blow to Israel’s Jewish identity and believe rather not.” vaccine, with more shots possibly to come.
that “most of the nation desires safeguarding the tradition of
Israel, preserving Jewish family values.” “But these will be important talks for de-
veloping a common position,” she added.
Deputy Foreign Minister Idan Roll, an openly gay member
of the Knesset, retorted: “I am sure that most of the nation Germany is keen to increase its use of natu-
loves and respects my Jewish family that was created through ral gas as it completes the shutdown of its
surrogacy.” nuclear power plants next year and phases
out the use of heavily polluting coal by
Etai and Yoav Pinkas Arad, the gay couple who appealed to 2038.
the court against the surrogacy law in 2010, said the ruling “is
a big step for equality not just for LGBTQ in Israel, but for Merkel’s comments to reporters in Berlin
equality in Israel in general.” came ahead of a meeting with Ukrainian
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has
Under the existing regulations, Israeli same-sex couples look- warned that Nord Stream 2 poses a threat
ing to become parents cannot engage a surrogate, and are of- to his country’s energy security. Should
ten deterred by the additional costs of finding one abroad. Russia route all of its gas around Ukraine
in future, the country might be cut off
The state had argued that the law was intended to protect sur- from the supplies it needs, putting it at fur-
rogate mothers but the court ruled that it would be possible ther risk of being pressured by Moscow.
to strike a balance that would not discriminate.
Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in
In contrast with much of the conservative Middle East, Is- 2014 and supports separatists in Ukraine’s
rael is generally tolerant toward its LGBTQ community. Gays eastern industrial heartland of Donbas.
serve openly in Israel’s military and parliament, and many
popular artists and entertainers, as well as the country’s cur- Zelenskyy said he was looking for guar-
rent health minister, are openly gay. Nonetheless, obstacles antees that Ukraine will remain a transit
— including the absence of civil marriage that would allow country for Russian gas beyond 2024. He
same-sex marriage — remain.