| | Israelis can adopt children from India: Newspaper
Indo-Asian News Service
Jerusalem, November 11
Israelis can now adopt children from India under an agreement reached between the two countries about a month ago, Xinhua reported quoting the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz on Tuesday.
India initially objected to the Israeli demand to convert the adopted children to Judaism, but it was eventually persuaded to agree, the report said.
Amatzia, a non-profit organisation under the National Religious Party's Emunah women's movement, initiated the contact with India after most existing foreign adoption sources dried up.
Romania, the source of most children adopted by Israelis, shut its door to foreign adoptions two years ago as part of a reform in its adoption laws.
Ukraine also halted adoption to Israel for a while, fearing for the children's safety, while Russia insists on a five-year wait before issuing permits to foreign adoption organisations.
Last year the Philippine government announced that it would no longer allow children to be taken to Israel due to the security situation.
Israel's ties with India were formed during an international adoption conference last year in New Delhi, said Shulamit Wallfish, director of Amatzia, which is one of some 10 agencies licensed to bring foreign children here for adoption.
Amatzia experts sent to India to check adoption conditions found that children there are kept in orphanages instead of foster families, but there are many care-takers and the children appeared calm and comfortable, she said.
Amatzia representatives went to the north of India, where the children's skin is lighter, which would better suit Israeli families, Wallfish said.
Australia and European states also adopt children in India, where the number of orphans is almost unlimited, and are satisfied with the results, she added. | |