Hebrew gay pride poster (Danny-w, CC BY-SA 3.0).
An overwhelming majority of Israelis support the right of same-sex couples to marry or register for civil unions in Israel, a recent survey by Hiddush has found.
Some 73 percent of respondents expressed their support for LGBT+ Israelis being able to enjoy the rights and obligations of heterosexual couples.
The nationwide survey showed that support existed across Israeli society, including both left-wing and right-wing respondents.
On the right, 97 percent of New Hope voters, 70 percent of Likud voters and 65 percent of Yamina voters expressed support for same-sex unions in Israel.
Support was even stronger on the centre and left, with 85 percent of Blue and White voters and 100 percent of Labor voters supporting marriage equality for LGBT+ couples.
Among secular Israeli Jews, 93 percent supported measures to allow same-sex couples to carry out civil unions in Israel. By comparison, 39 percent of national religious respondents expressed support.
Rabbi Uri Regev, CEO of Hiddush, said: “The opinion of the overwhelming majority of the public is clear. It supports equality for the LGBTQ community in general, and in matters of personal status and surrogacy in particular.”
“It’s high time that Israel get a government that upholds the promise of the Declaration of Independence for freedom of religion and equal rights for all”.
