It isn’t likely that Israel will recognize the marriage of LGBT couples in the foreseeable future, Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz said on Thursday, in the wake of an interview U.S. President Barack Obama gave the day before, in which he voiced support for same-sex marriages.
Earlier Thursday, Israel's LGBT community praised Obama for his words, with Irit Rosenblum, founder and CEO of the organization New Family, calling the move extremely important.
"It is a huge step for the enlightened world that the strongest leader publicly recognizes the new family. In doing so, he is obviously posing a challenge to the world's religious public," she's said, adding: "At a time when it seems the world is becoming increasingly fundamentalist and conservative, this is a liberal point of light."
However, speaking later Thursday, Steinitz indicated that a similar move to support same-sex marriage in Israel was unlikely, saying: "I don't see that happening in the State of Israel in the near future."
Speaking to a group of LGBT Likud members, the finance minister said that, while in the past he had been against recognizing same-sex marriages, he was now reconsidering his position.
"Today, I understand that issue much more than in the past. I'm not totally against it like I used to, but I'm not saying I'm totally for it," he added. During the meeting, Steinitz was asked by one of the participants if he would be the first Likud minister to come to Tel Aviv's Gay Pride Parade. Visibly embarrassed by the question, Steinitz asked his aides to write down the date, but refused to commit.
"I didn't promise. Myself or someone else will look into it, he said.
Answering whether or not the newly formed unity cabinet would advance gay rights issues, the finance minister said: "I don't know if that's the focus. I don't know when and if it will be possible. We have all kinds of coalition partners."
The meeting was attended by 25 members of the Likud's LGBT group, formed five months ago.
They congratulated Steinitz for being the first minister to meet them, with some calling it a "brave move." And, despite not [resenting the group with any real statements, he was met with applause on several occasions.
"My very coming here means that the Likud's leadership is happy for the LGBT group and happy for its inclusion within Likud," the finance minster said following the meeting.

Haaretz.com