Only married couples are allowed to adopt children in Israel, except in rare circumstances, according to a literal wording of the law, however the court recently handed down a ruling allowing a common law wife to adopt her partner's children.

Based on this ruling, the court expanded the principle to include same-sex couples, reported the Jerusalem Post.

"Our organization is also helping a gay couple, who wish to be recognized as the adoptive parents of a child that was legally adopted in the U.S., and are now suffering from bureaucratic caprice and prejudice regarding the rights of a same-sex family," said attorney Irit Rosenblum, director of the "New Family" organization. "We hope the court's ruling will lift the remaining obstacles."