Israel agrees to Russia’s no-LGBT adoptions rule

Israel and Russia signed an adoption agreement on Wednesday, after a decade of negotiations on the matter.

By LAHAV HARKOV
Israel and Russia signed an adoption agreement on January 22, 2020. (photo credit: JERUSALEM AFFAIRS MINISTER ZEEV ELKIN'S OFFICE)
Israel and Russia signed an adoption agreement on January 22, 2020.
(photo credit: JERUSALEM AFFAIRS MINISTER ZEEV ELKIN'S OFFICE)
Israel and Russia signed an adoption agreement on Wednesday, after a decade of negotiations, stipulating that same-sex couples may not adopt children from Russia.
Jerusalem Affairs Minister Ze’ev Elkin met with a senior delegation, including Russia’s foreign minister, economics minister, education minister and others, in Israel ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Thursday visit to attend the Fifth World Holocaust Forum.
The countries finalized two agreements, one on adoption and the other on cooperation between the two foreign ministries.
In accordance with Russian law, the adoption agreement prohibits LGBT couples from adopting Russian children.
Several Israeli lawmakers took umbrage at the agreement.
Meretz chairman Nitzan Horowitz said it is “a spit in the face of the LGBT community.... Netanyahu is getting in line with Putin’s homophobic policies and once again trampling the basic rights of hundreds of thousands of citizens of Israel who are members of the gay community.”
Blue and White MK Eitan Ginzburg said “the Netanyahu government is preventing us from being parents.... This is a continuation of Israel’s discriminatory policies.”
Elkin and the Russian delegation also discussed economic cooperation and trade, which recently passed $5 billion per year, and the possibility of a free trade agreement between the countries.
The countries also agreed on cooperation in the areas of agriculture, energy and pensions for immigrants from the former Soviet Union and other areas.