The judge of the family court in Petah Tikvah, Eilat Golan-Tavori, has decided to allow a 16-year, 11-month old girl who is pregnant, to marry her 23-year-old partner.
The request was filed by the couple and was supported by the parents, but the Attorney General opposed the request to allow the marriage.
The judge referred to the details of the specific case, noting on the one hand that the girl’s partner is under house arrest for a drug trafficking offense. On the other hand, she noted that the girl is pregnant in the third month. The two have been living together for a period of time in the home of the partner's father.
The girl studied at a vocational school, but left school a year ago due to difficulties in her studies, and is now working.
After the hearing, the judge reached the conclusion that the marriage should be allowed. "I found that in the specific circumstances of the parties, a marriage permit should be given and the minor should be allowed to marry now."
"The court should examine the principle of the minor's best interest, meaning a particular minor, the one before me, and not the abstract concept of a ‘minor’ in a sterile reality," the judge noted.
“I couldn’t find what good would result for the minor here if I were to prevent the marriage. In this case, we are talking about a couple who had had a relationship before the pregnancy and had moved in together. The minor left her studies before the pregnancy and not after it. She works today, and functions well within the given situation. I was impressed by the maturity of the minor and the plaintiff’s acceptance of responsibility, the couple's love for each other, and the support of the extended family."